Even with so much going on at the Special Olympics World Summer Games, we must not forget that 3.7 million athletes around the world are accomplishing Olympic-sized feats every day.
Two examples are Salihin Bin Sinai from Singapore and Herith Suleiman from Tanzania who joined a team of eight hikers to climb Mount Kilimanjaro earlier this month.
Salihin was the first Special Olympics athlete from Singapore to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, and one of an elite few Special Olympics athletes who have ever made the climb.
Long-time Special Olympics supporter Michael Dee, led the team up the mountain, which stands at nearly 6,000 meters above sea level. Together, they reached the Mount Kilimanjaro summit in five days, braving cold temperatures, harsh terrain, loose rocks and mild altitude sickness.
After returning home, Salihin received a note from the President of Singapore, congratulating him on his feat. I think I speak for millions across our movement when I echo President S.R. Nathan’s congratulations to Salihin and Herith on this enormous achievement!
Read more about their journey here: http://blogs.channelnewsasia.com/kilimanjaro/.