Paralympic Athlete Sets Eye on the 10TH Mini South Pacific Games in Vanuatu
29DIANA Ma’ahoro will again represent Solomon Islands in the upcoming Mini South Pacific Games shot put after previously competed at the Parasport events of the 15th South Pacific Games in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in 2015.
The female disabled athlete thrower has not yet won a medal for her country of origin but says he is now focusing his trainings on the two respective sports of shot put and discus, which she aims compete on in the forthcoming 2017 Mini South Pacific Games in Port Vila, Vanuatu in December.
“I was introduced early this year by my new coach to actually train on two respective sports of discus and javelin,” she told Solomon Women.
Diana was the Solomon Islands flag bearer who led the parade of our local contingents at the 2015 South Pacific Games opening ceremony in Papua New Guinea and that was probably one of her major highlights as a sports person with disability.
She is born with articulation disorder, which affects her speech clearness when communicating with others.
The local athlete said she had played shot put since 2015 and her coach has been very instrumental in shaping her sporting career to a whole new level of thrills and excitements. Therefore, am grateful for my coach in giving me confident to compete with the top experienced athletes in the Pacific region.
“Over the three years, my state of mind has always been very positive and progressive under the instruction of my coach especially in my personal trainings.
“My aim is to become a gold medallist for Solomon Islands in the future and if I can strive harder and to be able to fulfil my commitments in my trainings, I believe I can achieved that dream for people with disability and my country,” Diana said.
Meanwhile, she made a huge smile upon realising that there are still numerous challenges that lies ahead for her as an athlete with disability.
“Challenges are unavoidable in every works of life; but I strongly believe that people with disability are uniquely different from able people and therefore, it gives me more confident to compete with experienced Para athletes in the Pacific region,” she expressed.
Diane expressed over the years, she has been motivated and inspired by the likes of the Solomon Islands woman paralympian and South Pacific Games bronze medallist, Helen Glenda Saohaga.
Meanwhile, she is a renowned disability rights activist, volunteer and an inspiring young leader working with various non-governmental organisation in the country including People with Disability Solomon Islands (PWDSI) and Young Women Christian Association Solomon Islands (YWCA).
“Over the past 7 years, I have seen my involvement in sports as a form of stability in my role as a disability rights activist in the country,” she said.
