Home
Nothing is impossible: When physical disabilities becomes enablers in life
https://www.sportanddev.org/latest/news/nothing-impossible-when-physical-disabilities-becomes-enablers-life
Share
 
The URL has been copied
https://www.sportanddev.org/latest/news/nothing-impossible-when-physical-disabilities-becomes-enablers-life
Share
 
The URL has been copied
a woman stands alongside a young man
This cross-interview explores the power of sport and the need to break barriers through the eyes of two athletes who go beyond their disabilities to make everything possible.

Maximilien Thilo is 30 years old and was born fully blind. He is passionate about snow sports and watersports and constantly pushes his limits, in particular with his two sisters. He enjoys skiing, sailing and mountain biking. His nickname is the #BlindRider. He has reached a speed of 115.5km/h on skis, with his guide Denis.

He also does yoga, hiking and gym workouts. He has tried his hand at slacklining, climbing, surfing, windsurfing, paragliding, rowing, horse riding, skateboarding, etc. Max and his family's motto is: There is always a solution, you simply have to be creative.

Celine van Till is 29 years old and was 17 when, as a junior member of the Swiss equestrian team, she was in an accident while training with her horse. This fall left her in a coma, partially tetraplegic and with serious head injuries. She had to re-learn everything, from talking to eating and walking. Today, Celine continues to learn to live with the burden of permanent after-effects, such as a challenging balance and coordination, and poor eyesight (she has visual field loss of 50% and diplopia – i.e. she sees two images of the same object).

But elite sport continued to play a critical role in her life and in 2016, Celine took part in the Rio Paralympic Games in dressage. Two years later, she announced she would swap sports and is now eying her second Paralympic participation in Tokyo 2020, this time in athletics (100m sprint).

Visit the following pages for more information on Celine van Till:

Where do you find the energy and courage to practice so much sport and to keep pushing your limits?

MT: All this is thanks to my family and friends. Since I was a child, they have always taken me along for their activities and do not differentiate between me and others. I am lucky to be able to practice these sports and to rely on such a creative and caring entourage. They always find a solution for me: they adapt the equipment; they find a better route, or they give me the most suitable task.

Like everyone else, I like my comfort zone. Often, my entourage has more confidence in me than I do in myself, and so they push me a little, which encourages me. Once I get out of my comfort zone or do something I thought was impossible, it makes me feel alive! I feel very proud.

In fact, the Swiss Federation for Blind (FSA) is in the process of creating a new group of young people (to do sports, cultural activities, social gatherings, game sessions, etc.) for those who don't have such an active family like mine.

CvT: My energy comes from a true and deep passion for life. I love to take up challenges and I love the adrenaline it brings. Every challenge pushes me to move forward – both on the track and in my life. I always want to explore how far I can go. While I was a very focused and driven young athlete before the accident, escaping death so narrowly made the strong and resilient person I am today.

But the journey was not always simple. My entourage also played, and continues to play, a critical role. My family, my close friends, my training mates… I keep learning from so many people around me! I am lucky to be able to rely on many role models, from my coach to training partners or well-known personalities I meet. Today, I feel like a sponge which is so thirsty for new experiences and to enrich my life toolbox. And competitive sport definitely taught me a lot and made the person I am today.   

How can we break down more barriers to increase access to different sports for people with disabilities?

MT: I don't think it is possible to break down all barriers. Disability is a reality we have to deal with. But you can get over many of these barriers with a little help. Such support can take various forms. For example, creativity in order to adapt equipment or an activity, or it could be coaches, clubs and organisations which must bear in mind that there are individuals with very specific needs.

Our society must be a little more open to differences and diversity and it must be ready to provide strategies and solutions for the inclusion of everyone. I find that a good way to start an activity is to go and try a session with a group of people with the same disability and coaches who understand our limitations and challenges, which can vary greatly for each individual. It's a way to get your foot in the stirrup safely.

CvT: We must continue to promote, communicate and advocate for enhanced access to the benefits of sport for every form of disability. Quite importantly, our stories should not be set in pathos and generate pity. Instead, we want people to discover our journey in life and get inspired by our strength and resilience. This is one of the reasons why I have decided to set-up a charity, Association Tout Est Possible (Everything is Possible), to not only support other young athletes with disabilities, but also to shed a fresh and positive light on how we turn challenges into opportunities.

We can all learn from each other, and my message is also targeted at decision- and law-makers: we must take great care to protect our rights, including the right to access and enjoy the many physical and psychosocial benefits of sport. I am also working on my second book right now (to be published in 2021), as I want my story and learnings in life to be shared and to inspire more people.

Is it more important for you to practice sport with other people with disabilities or to be mixed with (so-called) “abled” people?

MT: I find that for initiations, it is probably best to be with other people sharing the same disability. It is reassuring. But for my part, I have immense pleasure in doing sport with everyone. It's a moment during which I forget about my disability, I feel (almost) like everyone else and I create memories with friends. For example, when I get on board the sailing boat, I really feel like I'm leaving my disability ashore. This is something that makes me feel good mentally - it is good for my heart, my spirit and my mind. I feel valued and no longer categorised. I know that I can do almost the same thing as my teammates. I like to be mixed up.

CvT : Both are important. Again, I believe that in every situation, we can learn from each other – it is a question of attitude. My regular training sessions take place with “normal,” abled athletes and this is so cool to feel 100% part of a team. Sometimes, however, the national federation brings together athletes with similar disabilities and it is also enriching to share challenges, tips and motivation with my other partners in crime! 

What are the benefits of doing sport in your everyday life?

MT: I'm not a big fan of competition, even if I've tasted it a bit in the past. I don't need it to find my balance. And I think this is OK!

Sport does me a lot of good on a psycho-social level. I enjoy a stronger self-esteem. With sport, I get this “I can do it” attitude and it allows me to meet more people. Sharing a moment and creating memories is invaluable and always special. To illustrate this, I can only recommend the movie Tandems, which talks about the link between a guide and a blind skier.

Physically, sport helps me to feel better and improves my mobility, coordination and balance – hence my autonomy too. I breathe better and I feel more relaxed. Sport means well-being for me; if they take sport away from me, they take away a big chunk of my freedom.

CvT: Doing sport and enjoying the beauty of elite sport helps me develop many capabilities, physically and mentally, as well as building new and strong friendships. Sport shows me every day how everything can be made possible. With my coach and entourage, medical team and training buddies, we can always find solutions to my physical challenges. It requires constant adaptation and lots of creativity. Sport has also taught me how to best manage my emotions and how to deal with permanent change - and this is a part of my life I have improved vastly over the last couple of years (so my entourage says). Sport helps me to love and enjoy life, and to keep pushing forward. Sport is also like a game, a constant challenge to overcome barriers and to set new goals.

Anne-Sophie Thilo is the caring sister of Max, an Olympian (sailing, Beijing 2008), the Founder of communication agency Ekkut.com, and an advisor and supporter of Celine van Till

Philippe Furrer is a movement and sports activist, a serial sports and social entrepreneur, and the Founder of insPoweredBy.ch

Tags

Country
All countries
Region
All regions
Sport
Cycling
Skateboarding
Other
Sustainable Development Goals
10 – Reduced inequalities
Themes
Target Group
Persons with disabilities

Related Articles

Certification Ceremony from Batch 2 of Level 1: Introduction to S4D

PSD completes the first and second batches of Level 1: Introduction to S4D

Pro Sport Development
https://www.sportanddev.org/latest/news/psd-completes-first-and-second-batches-level-1-introduction-s4d
 
The URL has been copied
PlayLA Adaptive Youth Sports Program team receives CPRS Marketing & Communications Award of Excellence at 2024 CPRS Connections Conference in Palm Springs, CA.

PlayLA Adaptive Youth Sports Program Receives Marketing & Communications Award of Excellence

Howard Brodwin
https://www.sportanddev.org/latest/news/playla-adaptive-youth-sports-program-receives-marketing-communications-award-excellence
 
The URL has been copied
Douglas Masiyazi

Empowering People with Disabilities through Inclusive Participation

https://www.sportanddev.org/latest/news/empowering-people-disabilities-through-inclusive-participation
 
The URL has been copied
Douglas Masiyazi

Empowering People with Disabilities through Inclusive Participation

https://www.sportanddev.org/latest/news/empowering-people-disabilities-through-inclusive-participation
 
The URL has been copied