They made it in Atlanta
Just differently abled

The Egyptian Para-Olympic team came home to a rousing welcome at Cairo Airport as they bettered on their promise to make their country proud.

Welcome home
The delegation had left for the Atlanta Para-Olympics with the avowed intention of winning 25 medals. By the closing days of the Games they were well on their way to grabbing 30 to place themselves 21st among the 129 competing nations. As the team disembarked, over 200 supporters, including Dr. Abdul-Moneim Emara, the then head of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, and Major Said Kamel, deputy-director of Cairo Airport, were on hand to welcome the athletes home from Atlanta.

Amid boisterous fun, including a folkloric musical troupe, gold medal winner and world record holder Ahmed Gomaa was brought on fans' shoulders around the hall. Fans from all over Egypt gave sustained sounds of joy as Dr. Emara stepped forward to greet the athletes and convey the congratulations of President Mubarak for their achievement. Emara also announced - to the gold medal caliber applause - the intention to increase the amount of money awarded to each medal winner: LE 30,000 for the gold medal, 25,000 for the silver and 20,000 for the bronze.

Challenging disability
"I am very happy that the athletes were able to challenge their disability and achieve such great results," Emara said.
The athletes were overcome with emotion by their family and friends, as well as complete strangers.
An elderly woman remarked on how proud the delegation had made her feel and how she had decided to come to congratulate them herself.

Returning athletes expressed the desire that the level of support the disabled receive would continue to improve and more attention would be given to the athletes living and training in outlying governorates.

As a first step to fulfill the dream of improving status of disabled athletes in Egypt, Dr. Salem, head of the Egyptian Handicapped Federation, decided to increase the number of athletes practicing sports to improve base and variety in selection. As a first step towards this goal clubs and youth centres will be built nationwide to propagate the idea. The number of national and international competitions will increase to facilitate the progress of athletes.

" If we can accomplish this, by the Para-Olympic of 2000 in Sydney we will be able to double the medals we scored in Atlanta 96," commented Salem.