Poleg najboljših športnikov so na 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia evropskem prvenstvu v slalomu na divjih vodah v Tacnu žareli od ponosa tudi mladostniki, ki so sodelovali pri podelitvi medalj. Čeprav imajo Downov sindrom, so samostojno prišli do odra za zmagovalce in zaupano jim nalogo opravili brezhibno.

Šest mladostnikov je na prizorišče evropskega prvenstva v Tacen prišlo v organizaciji Društva Downov sindrom Slovenije, katerega predstavnica Ana Svetičič nam je povedala, da so s seboj prinesli tudi darila za prejemnike medalj.

„Iz gline so sami naredili krožnike in jih okrasili, najboljšim jih bodo podelili skupaj z medaljami,“ je povedala pred zaključkom tekmovanj. Na podelitvi medalj so člani društva sodelovali tudi v nedeljo, zadnji dan prvenstva.

Da oseba z diagnozo Downovega sindroma sodeluje na takšni prireditvi, se ji zdi zelo pomembno. „To je dokaz, kaj naši mladostniki zmorejo. Da ni neke stigme, česa otroci z Downovim sindromom ne zmorejo. Marsikaj lahko zmorejo, če imajo le primerno podporo,“ je poudarila.

Nekateri člani društva so že sodelovali tudi na drugih prireditvah, da je res vse teklo gladko, pa so pred uradno podelitvijo medalj pripravili generalko. „Kakšnih posebnih priprav nismo imeli, sem jim pa pojasnila osnovna pravila – da smo vsi tiho, da sledimo eden drugemu, da stojimo pri miru,“ je naštela Ana Svetičič.

V akcijo se je vključil, kdor je želel, nikogar niso prepričevali k sodelovanju. Toda odločitev zagotovo ni bila težka. Nenazadnje se mnogi tudi sami ukvarjajo s športom, športna tekmovanja gledajo na televiziji, tudi kajak jim ni tuj.

Je pa sodelovanje nekoga z Downovim sindromom na takšni prireditvi po njenih besedah tudi preizkušnja za starše. „Nekateri starši hote ali pa nehote težko spustijo svojega odraslega otroka izpod svojega okrilja,“ je še povedala Ana Svetičič. Tokrat so zanje določili posebna pravila, in sicer so morali počakati na tribunah, medtem ko je njihov otrok samostojno šel do prejemnikov medalj.

YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME INCLUDED IN MEDALS CEREMONIES

In addition to the best athletes at the 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom European Championship in Tacen, there were some young people who took part in the awarding of medals also beaming with pride. Although they have Down syndrome, they independently walked to the podium and performed the task entrusted to them flawlessly.

Six young people came to the venue of the European Championships in Tacen in the organisation of the Down Syndrome Association of Slovenia, whose representative Ana Svetičič told us that they also brought gifts for the medal recipients.

“They made plates from clay themselves and decorated them, they will be awarded to the best athletes together with medals,” she said before the end of the competitions. Members of the association also participated in the medals ceremony on Sunday, the last day of the championships.

It is very important for a person diagnosed with Down syndrome to participate in such an event. “This is proof of what our young people can do. That there is no stigma that children with Down syndrome cannot do something. They can do a lot if they have the right support,” she emphasized.

Some members of the association had already participated in other events. In order that everything went really smoothly before the official awarding of the medals, they prepared a probe. “We didn’t have any special preparations, but I explained to them the basic rules – that we should all be quiet, that we should follow each other, that we should stand still,” Ana Svetičič said.

No one was persuaded to participate, they did so on their own will. But the decision was certainly not difficult. Last but not least, many of them are involved in sports themselves, they watch sports competitions on TV, and they are also familiar with canoeing.

According to her, the participation of someone with Down syndrome in such an event is also a test for parents. “Some parents, consciously or not, find it difficult to let their adult child out of their care,” said Ana Svetičič. This time, special rules were set for them, namely they had to wait in the stands while their child went independently to the medal recipients.

Foto: BOBO