BY JOY OFASIA
SOLOMON Islands para-athlete, Rose Lydia is ready to take on the Pacific Games 2023 and represent the Solomon Islands.
She talked to SOLOMON WOMEN about how she feels to make it to the Pacific Games in Honiara as she earlier this year bagged one gold and silver in the two respective field events (seated shot-put and javelin) at the Queensland State Championships in Australia.
“Now I am working hard extremely hard in my scheduled high-performance weekly training at the Solomon Islands National Institute of Sports (SINIS) Complex in Honiara to win medals for the country.
“I have strong confidence and heart to win and make the country,” said Rose from Temotu province.
Rose’s experience and talent are not new to the Para sporting community in Honiara, she has over the years competed in international, regional, and domestic Para sports events and has successfully won medals.
Rose’s left leg is physically disabled but her passion for sports over the years has never stop her from exploring her physical and mental wellbeing.
“My involvement in sports is to improve my physical health and mental well-being. It helps me to stay active, build self-confidence, and feel empowered, which is important for my overall well-being,” she explained.
Although Rose has faced both personal and physical challenges over the years as a person with special needs, she never gave up her hope, determination, and confidence to overcome these challenges.
“Since my involvement in sports as a person with a disability, I had my challenges, but I never gave up and that is how I am here today training for one of the biggest Games in the Pacific,” she said with confidence.
She has previously represented the Solomon Islands in several regional Para sports competitions. Earlier this year she was part of the country’s para team that participated at the 2020 Para Classifications Competition in Australia. The para-sporting event took place at Mount Gravet, Brisbane, Australia from 2-8 March 2020. The event aimed to provide an opportunity for local para-athletes to be selected for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
