Slovenian students engage in para-sports

Students at the primary school of Vito Kraigher in Ljubljana, Slovenia, were treated to the country’s first Slovenian Paralympic school day. Presented by the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Slovenia, the four-hour programme included students participating in para-sports and learning through para-athlete presenters.

“There is a desire and will to present the young generations that disability and athletes with disabilities are not a taboo subject,” NPC Slovenia President Damjan Lazar said. “We wanted to prove that (for para-athletes to succeed), they also have to go through toughest of exercises.

“We believe that these experiences will be passed on to their peers and parents, who will perhaps in the near future watch such Paralympic events live. In the end, we can only express that this is just the beginning and that the Paralympic school days will take place in more schools in the next school year.”

Slovenian handcyclist Primoz Jeralic was among the athletes engaging with the students and believes the Paralympic school day was a great way to allow others to experience what it takes for para-athletes to succeed.

“Now we can tell the general public who we are, what are we doing and what we become,” Jeralic said. “I think it is important that our voice spreads because it is the only way that we can show that limits are only in our minds and that sports of persons with disabilities can be very intense and at a high professional level. … My great desire is that parents who have children with disabilities include them in sport activities.”

NPC Slovenia expects to continue the programme next September in more schools nationwide.