Deshan takes aim for Kiwi Special Olympics Summer Games
View(s):Having won the ‘Unbelievable’ Achievement award for being outstanding at the Special Olympics National Summer Games in 2013 and adjudged “Sportsperson of the Year” in the same year, Deshan Walallavita has set his sights on breaking new records at the forthcoming Special Olympics National Summer Games to be held in Wellington in November this year.
The Games will be hosted across a range of top notch sporting venues, including the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre, which includes a 25×10 lane competition pool and seating for 800 spectators, Newtown Park Track which boasts an 8 lane 400m international standard trace, the ASB Sports Centre which will host basketball, bocce, indoor bowls and powerlifting.
Every four years, hundreds of Special Olympics athletes from around New Zealand come together to showcase their athletic skills and celebrate the true spirit of competition through summer sports.
In 2013 at the National Summer Games held at the Moana Pool in Dunedin, the Te Awamutu Special Olympics team, in which Deshan Walallavita was a member, won a staggering 24 gold, nine silver and 11 bronze medals.
Deshan won the ‘Unbelievable’ Achievement award for being outstanding at the National Summer Games winning gold in the 50m freestyle, silver in 100m freestyle, bronze in 50m butterfly and gold in 4x50m freestyle relay. Deshan plays the anchor role in the relay.
In 2013, it was fitting the all-conquering Te Awamutu Special Olympics’ national summer games team took centre stage.
Deshan’s teacher and swimming coach since 2008, Shelley Blair, said she and volunteer coaches Nellie Harris, Robert Smith and Elaine McLeish do what they do because they believe in something bigger than themselves. “We believe in these guys” … the athletes. “They enrich our lives and they show that there are no barriers that are too high to climb over in being the best you can.”
Each and every one of Te Awamutu’s 14-strong team, comprising 12 swimmers, one bowler and an athlete, covered themselves in glory winning at least one gold medal.They collectively claimed 44 out of a potential 53 medals, as well as recording a sprinkling of fourth, fifth and sixth placings.The swim team, alone, made the podium 39 times out of a possible 48 – scooping 22 gold, six silver and 11 bronze.
Not even in her widest of dreams could head coach Shelley Blair have envisaged such a windfall of medals. Just like the real Olympics, Blair and her team prepared for these Games for four years.
All the hard yards behind the scenes, organising, fundraising and training paid off big time.Blair told the team to go out and reach for the sky in Dunedin.
On the eve of the opening ceremony, she presented all team members with an inspirational, laminated card they were to read before contesting their events.
It read: “It’s time to break out of your shell and show the world who you are and what you are really made of. Live your dreams!” – and that’s exactly what these special group of Olympians did, doing their families, club and town proud.
They all competed as though their lives depended on it every race, whether they were gunning for gold, silver or bronze. Such was their dominance, especially in the pool, Blair fielded many a favourable comment – including one member of the public asking her “what’s in the water in Te Awamutu.. you guys seem to be winning everything.”
Te Awamutu is a town in the Waikato in the North Island of New Zealand.
One of the highlights of the Games was the retention of Te Awamutu’s two-year unbeaten record in the 4x50m swimming relay team of Deshan Walallavita, Stacey Parker, Sam Crook and Dillon Knoetze. The seemingly invincible quartet won in a personal best time of 2.22.0, blitzing the silver medallists in the field by 27 seconds.
In 2014, the Oosterman Trophy for the Year went to Deshan Walallavita.The decision to award Deshan the trophy was because of his growth not only in the pool but also as a person. He is social, helpful, responsible and his work ethic in the pool are tremendous” says his sister Sammanie, who has been his greatest supporter throughout.
“Deshan was always fond of the water, very confident and never afraid but it was Shelley Blair who guided him through. He however did struggle with the breast stroke and was disqualified several times, but undeterred by these setbacks he strived to improve and is today an accomplished swimmer in all strokes” adds Sammanie.
Deshan loves the outdoors and enjoys playing cricket, rugby, soccer and basketball. He is very creative and extremely organised. Always health conscious, he enjoys cooking and attends weekly cookery classes and specialises in Italian cuisine – Lasagna being his standout dish!
Apart from his swimming achievements, Deshan is also a talented artist and his skills in art have been used to add some colour to the nearby Family Wise Toy Library. Patrician Avenue teacher Debra Merifield said as a senior transition student Deshan was gaining work experience and had expressed an interest in helping to improve the aesthetics of the toy library. In July this year, Deshan won the Glenys Steele People’s Choice Award at the Arts for Health competition and his acrylic on paper painting titled “Still Life with Fruit” sold for $200/-.
The family credits Patricia Avenue School, his teacher and swimming coach, Shelly Blair for Deshan’s success and since taking part in the Special Olympics, Deshan has matured, learnt to socialise and started to vocalize and express himself more.
- Clifford Lazarus reporting
from New Zealand