The Ability Beyond Disability: 9 Gold Medal-Winning Olympians with Disability    

“It takes an open minded individual to look beyond a disability, and see, that ability has so much more to offer, than the limitations society tries to place upon them.”

– Robert M. Hensel

In life, we come across a lot of people who are differently abled. Our prior generations used to call them disabled. Yet, they have abilities that we do not have. With the growth in knowledge and the advancement in education, most of us have moved forward to view disabled people in a new light. In fact, in my school, there was a special unit for differently abled children. We all interacted and played together during certain periods. Things like this are important to know that our abilities or disabilities do not make us. It is up to us to take the reins of our lives and create legacies.

You would be surprised to know that sports is one arena where disabilities do not hinder a person. Differently-abled people have proven time and again that they are able to compete in any sporting event out there right alongside people who have all their faculties. In fact, the Paralympic Games began in 1948 to give a chance to disabled individuals to showcase their sporting talents. However, since and even before then, people with disabilities have gone on to compete in the prestigious Olympic Games. Yes, you read that right. They have won gold medals in the Olympic Games, in which people with all their faculties train their entire lives to even get a chance to compete.

Let us commemorate 9 of the outstanding individuals with disabilities who broke all stereotypes and not only competed in but also won gold medals in the Olympic Games.

Name: George Eyser

Sport: Gymnastics

George Louis Eyser, a German-American gymnast and bookkeeper, lost his left leg in a horrific train accident. With the help of a wooden prosthetic leg, he became the first person with a disability to not only participate but also win multiple medals in the Olympic Games. In the 1904 Summer Olympics held in USA’s St. Louis, he won three gold medals for the vault, parallel bars, and rope climbing as well as two silver medals for pommel horse and combined 4 events. He also got a bronze medal for the horizontal bar.

Name: Carlo Orlandi

Sport: Boxing

Carlo Orlandi was an Italian boxer who was deaf and mute. In the 1928 Olympic Games, held in Amsterdam, he won four consecutive matches in the lightweight division and won a coveted gold medal. Soon after his historic win as a deaf Olympian, he entered the arena of professional boxing. Over the course of 15 years, he logged about 100 victories.

Name: Oliver Halassy 

Sport: Water Polo

Born on July 31, 1909, Hungarian water polo player and freestyle swimmer Oliver Halassy lost his left leg below the knee in a train accident when he was 11. In 1928, Halassy went on to become the first amputeeswimmer to compete in the prestigious Olympic Games. He was part of the Hungarian water teams and won one silver and two gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936. 

Name: Karoly Takacs 

Sport: Shooting

Karoly Takacs was born in Budapest on January 21, 1910. The world-renowned pistol shooter was a staff sergeant in the Hungary Army. He was stopped from participating in the 1936 Olympics due to his low military rank. This did not deter him. He kept on training with the goal of participating in the 1940 Summer Olympics. However, he tragically injured his shooting right hand during a training exercise in 1938. Relentlessly, he continued training with his left hand until he became equally adept at shooting with it. He even won the national championship in 1939. In 1948 and 1952, he won gold medals in the 25m rapid-fire pistol in the Olympics.

Name: Harold Vincent Connolly 

Sport: Hammer Throwing

Born on August 1, 1931, Harold Vincent Connolly was born with the rare condition of Erbs Palsy. His left arm was 4.5 inches shorter than his right one and his left hand was two-thirds smaller than his right one. Despite this, he became the first American to throw a hammer more than 200 feet. He won a gold medal in the hammer throw at the 1956 Olympics held in Melbourne. Connolly went on to compete in three more Olympics. Remarkably, he also made six world records.

Name: Ildiko Ujlaky-Rejto

Sport: Gymnastics

Ildiko Ujlaky-Rejto was born on May 11, 1937, in Budapest, Hungary in a Jewish family. Since birth, she has been deaf and suffered from scoliosis. She did not let this daunt her. Winning two individual gold medals and five team medals during her Olympic career from 1960 to 1976, she proved her mettle.

Name: Jeff Float 

Sport: Swimming

Born on April 10, 1960, Jeffrey James Float lost most of his hearing after suffering from meningitis at 13 years of age. Though legally deaf, the American competitive swimmer went on to win a gold medal in the 4 X 200m freestyle event. He also came fourth in the 200m individual freestyle.

Name: Im Dong-hyun

Sport: Archery

Im Dong-hyun is an exemplary South Korean archer who was born on May 12, 1986, in Chungju, South Korea. With a vision of 20/200 in his left eye and a 20/100 vision in his right eye, Im is legally blind in his left eye. Despite his eye impairment, he won a gold medal in the team competition in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics as well as a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympic Games.    

Name: Tamika Catchings 

Sport: Basketball  

Born on July 21, 1979, in New Jersey, USA, Tamika Devonne Catchings was born with a hearing impairment and wore a hearing aid in her girlhood. She is an exemplary basketball player who played in the US women’s basketball team and won four Olympic gold medals in 204, 2008, 2012, and 2016. She is one of eleven women to receive an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup gold, and a WNBA Championship.

Conclusion

Winning a gold medal in the highly competitive Olympic Games is a matter of immense pride. Very few people are able to achieve this after spending years of their lives in training. It is no wonder that all the participants in the Olympic Games are highly trained in their art and are almost super-human. Comparatively, a small number of athletes with disabilities go on to fight for the coveted Olympic medals. Yet, there are quite a few disabled athletes who surpass their peers, who have access to all their faculties, and win the glorious Olympic Gold. They not only make themselves and their family proud, they make their country and the whole world gape with awe.

Do comment and share your thoughts about these outstanding Olympic Gold Medallists who happen to have a disability.

(Reference: https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/olympic-results)

July 2024 marks a special milestone at The World’s Best Magazine as we proudly declare it the Diversity, Resilience, and Inclusion Month. Throughout the month – as well as in the few weeks immediately before and after it – we dedicate our platform to celebrating the richness of diversity, the strength of resilience, and the power of inclusion.

Join us as we spotlight stories that showcase the myriad facets of diversity, from cultural heritage to individual identities. Through our features, we aim to amplify voices that demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity, inspiring others to persevere and thrive.

Moreover, we pledge to champion inclusion in all aspects of our work, ensuring that every story, perspective, and experience is welcomed and valued. By embracing diversity, resilience, and inclusion, we strive to foster a more equitable and compassionate world.

Let’s come together to honor the beauty of our differences, celebrate the triumphs of the human spirit, and reaffirm our commitment to building a society where everyone is seen, heard, and valued.

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