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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 October 1999 Issue No. 451 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 October 1999 Issue No. 451
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Books Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Undeterred by tragedy
By Abeer Anwar
Paralysed at the age of six, Maged Anwar Mohamed never shirked from a challenge. His determination has paid off handsomely as the disabled swimmer won the silver medal at last month's All-Africa Games in Johannesburg.
Mohamed being awarded the silver medal in swimming
Mohamed's swimming career began with physical fitness classes at the Police Federation Union Club. There he was given his first swimming lessons by Mohamed Ahmed, manager of the national handicapped team at the time. "Ahmed told me I might be able to qualify for the team," Mohamed recounts. "When I heard that, I almost flew to the pool to start training."
Mohamed, 28, began serious training with Abdel-Baqi Hassanein, known as the dean of Egyptian swimmers and one of the first to introduce swimming to the country as a competitive sport. "He used to put me in the same pool with able-bodied swimmers. That increased my physical fitness as well as my appetite to beat them," Mohamed said.
In 1988, Mohamed participated in the Seoul Paralympics. At 16, he was the youngest member of the Egyptian delegation. He came in seventh place in both the 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke.
Since then, Mohamed's star has shone. In 1989, at 17, he crossed the English Channel, the first disabled teenager to accomplish the feat. In 1990, he won a silver medal in a tournament in England in the 50m freestyle and a bronze in the 100m freestyle. In the same championship in 1991, Mohamed returned to Britain to strike gold in the 100m backstroke and took a bronze in the 200m freestyle.
In the first All-Africa Paralympics Games held in Egypt, Mohamed continued his wining ways, collecting a gold in the 4x50m freestyle relay and a silver in the 100m freestyle.
Mohamed abruptly retired but returned eight years later and began training again, this time with the help of Al-Ahram Organisation which had established disabled teams in athletics and swimming. The long practice hours had immediate dividends. In last month's All-Africa Games in Johannesburg, Mohamed took the silver medal in the 50m freestyle.
