Lots of fun for Balle as Para Rimau
FORMER para athlete Balle Munusamy is having a great time making her debut in the Asean Para Games.
No, she’s not competing in any events at the Kuala Lumpur Games.
The wheelchair racer, who was among the earliest to join the para athlete ranks 20 years ago, is featuring in the biggest Para Games in the region as a mascot – the Para Rimau.
The mother of one admitted that she was initially hesitant about taking up the role but changed her mind following encouragement from her husband – former national wheelchair tennis player A. Thangaraju, 46.
The 45-year-old housewife said her neighbour Fuad Sanoesi, who is also serving as a Para Rimau, played a key role in her deciding to take on the role.
She even kept her role as the Para Games mascot a secret from her five-year-old son T. Sudarshan.
“My neighbour Fuad recommended my name to the Para Games organisers. He said I could do a good job because I was a former para athlete,” said the Kuala Lumpur local yesterday.
“I was very nervous. I had never tried anything like this before. I started my ‘job’ as the Para Rimau on Wednesday.
“I managed to pull it off well. In the end, my video to promote the Para Games with Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin was also well received.
“My son watched the video mascot but he didn’t know that I’m the mascot. I can’t wait to see his reaction when I take off the costume.”
Being the para mascot is not an easy job as the Rimau head weighs 13kg.
Balle said that her first day on the job at the National Stadium “really tested my patience to the limit”.
She said that being a para mascot was her way of creating awareness about disabled people.
“I was soaking buckets in the costume. I kept myself cool by taking off the Rimau head during breaks,” said Balle.
“Everyone wanted to take pictures with Para Rimau. I think it’s a good thing as the public wants to be close to a disabled person.
“Most people will try to avoid having any contact with a disabled person because they think we would trouble them by asking for help.
“The reality is that we don’t think about our disability. We may need help, but not all the time. We are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves.”