Fabio Caviedes had never played volleyball before he stepped on a landmine in conflict-torn Colombia and lost his left leg.
Now the 32-year-old former soldier is a national champion in sitting volleyball, and dreams of playing at the Paralympics in Brazil next year.
Sitting volleyball is a fast-paced version of the sport, in which participants slide across the floor on their bottoms and hit the ball across a lower net than standard volleyball.
Photo: Reuters
It has been a Paralympic sport since 1980.
However, it is more than just a game in Colombia, where a five-decade guerrilla war has left more landmine victims than any nation in the world outside Afghanistan — 11,000 people have been killed or wounded in the past 25 years, 10 percent of whom are children.
Caviedes fell victim in 2009, stepping on an anti-personnel mine that had been placed in an abandoned schoolhouse in southern Colombia.
Like other landmine victims who have taken up sitting volleyball, he has found a kind of rebirth in the sport.
He and his fellow players, many of them former soldiers, won audience members’ hearts in Bello, where 2,500 people turned out to watch the championships.
Caviedes, who plays for the Armed Forces A team, is hoping to make the Colombian national team and play in the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro next year.
“I’m the best of the group at the national level, so I have faith in God that I’ll be selected,” he said.
Colombia began holding national championships in 2008 and now has several teams of former soldiers and police officers, for whom it is a vital part of their recovery.
“Bello wanted to hold a tournament that would support these athletes and the victims of the conflict in a spirit of inclusiveness,” said Helder Acevedo of the town’s sports office, which organized the event. “This sport helps them overcome the emotional scar of being the victim of these explosive devices.”
That was evident on Sunday at the moment the army team won the final, when the seated players leapt to their feet in celebration, hopping on one leg and exchanging high-fives, hugs and elated smiles.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and