Manuel Fuentes a parasportsman who, at the age of 24, many times award-winning for the sport he loves, badminton. His goal is to continue to represent the country in international tournaments such as the World Parabadminton Championships in Japan, but he fails to do so because many times can’t afford to travel or your sports equipment.
facing adversity
Manuel told the team RPP News that when i had 19 yearsa negligence by his work staff caused an accident in which he lost his leg.
“In 2017, I had an accident at the company where I worked. One of their garbage trucks hit me when I was reversing and I’m sitting in the garden. I was hospitalized for two months in a clinic. The first month they tried to save the leg, and the second decided amputate it infection,” he said.
It was in those difficult moments that badminton appeared in his life, a sport that he dared to play. since 2018.
“When my leg was amputated, my mother contacted a badminton para-athlete who also had no leg. She told me about her experience (…) and in one of those conversations he invited me to play badminton”, he recalled.
When he was finally discharged, he began to play this sport and gradually began to stand out with important achievements.
“My first international tournament was the South American tournament in Ecuador in 2019. it was paid in full by me. We were a delegation, but they decided not to support me,” he said.
Support to keep shining
Manuel said that without financial support it is very difficult to continue, as it is not only about paying for their tickets, but also about purchase a special sports foot, which cost thousands of dollars.
“It’s an athletic foot that helps you move around the court. Its meaning does not go below $4,500depending on its duration,” he said.
But, despite the shortcomings, Manuel continues to achieve triumphs and recognition.
“My goal is to classify Santiago 2023. Tournaments started counting from July of this year, and my goal is score as many points as possible. Therefore, I need the support of the state or private individuals. Or also from the municipality of San Miguel,” he asked.
The young athlete also classified Parapanamerican Games that took place in Colombia this year, so any help that can enable you to continue to reap triumphs for Peru would be more than welcome.
Source: RPP
I am Dylan Hudson, a dedicated and experienced journalist in the news industry. I have been working for Buna Times, as an author since 2018. My expertise lies in covering sports sections of the website and providing readers with reliable information on current sporting events.