Figure skater Rajkumar Tiwari fought financial constraints and intellectual disability to return with two medals from the Special Olympics World Winter Games in February and the young athlete says he was glad his hard work paid off finally in South Korea.
The 18-year-old lad, who was diagnosed with hyperactivity disorder and intellectual disability, won a gold and a silver in figure skating singles and pairs respectively.
"I have been into sports for six years. I used to play handball and then I started ice skating just six months before the Winter Games," said Tiwari, who took up figure skating only in August last year.
Rajkumar had joined the Special Olympics Bharat to train in handball in 2006. He went on to play the sport at the national level but he could not make it to the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Greece in 2011 due to financial issues.
"I faced a lot of financial hurdles, I didn't have the means to get a passport so I could not take part in handball event in Special Olympics in Greece in 2011," Tiwari told PTI.
"But I always wanted to participate in international level. So we had to arrange the money for training sessions ahead of the Winter Games. It was my international first trip," Tiwari said.
"I am glad I could participate and win medals in South Korea," he added.
Tiwari arranged for the money by a fundraising campaign where he collected donations from local businesses, family friends and even the local Municipal Councillor.
For Tiwari, it was always a fight right from the start. His father is the only bread-winner of the family of seven and earns his livelihood by selling artificial jewellery near the New Delhi railway station.
"My father has a makeshift shop at Sadar Bazar. I help my father in his work sometimes," Tiwari said.
