The sport sounds obscure, but the man who's achieved unlikely glory in it is relishing a rare chance to be in the spotlight _ and to talk about it despite the physical difficulty of doing so.
A severe involuntary movement condition coupled with a speech impediment have done little to dampen the sport of boccia's pin-up talent Pattaya Tadtong from striving for excellence, and he's taking the shower of attention in his stride.
The 33-year-old, who suffers from mixed cerebral palsy, brought Thais much jubilation when he won two gold medals in the individual and team boccia events at the London 2012 Paralympics. Since returning from his quest earlier this month, he has been enjoying unprecedented celebrity status. Pattaya's gold medals should fetch approximately 15 million baht in cash rewards and gifts from the government and private sector.
Pattaya is not new to the Paralympics _ he won a bronze medal at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens. Back then there was little fanfare, he recalled.
Pattaya reasoned that this could be because there has been little television coverage in the past.
"The London Paralympics Games is probably the first time performances by Thai athletes were given huge television coverage, so I think due to this, the media is eager to feature us on our return."
Born into a middle-class farming family from Amnat Charoen province, he, at the age of 3, was diagnosed as having mixed cerebral palsy _ a combination of spastic and athetoid _ which generates tight muscle tone and involuntary movements.
His Paralympics success has indeed put the spotlight on the urgency to support and encourage sporting talents within the physically and mentally challenged communities to reach their potential.
Of late, the talented sportsman has been inundated with requests for interviews by the media. Invitations by Thailand's top photographers to use him as a model for their photo shoots have also been pouring in.
Pattaya with his warm family.
Pattaya doesn't seem frazzled by the media attention, it seems. In fact, he says it makes him happy.
"I am not tired of giving interviews and being photographed _ it makes me happy," the boccia sensation says.
When speaking, Pattaya has to put a lot of concentration into pronouncing each sentence. Sometimes he has to use his right hand to control his neck from involuntary activity.
"Hopefully my success at the Paralympics will not just set an example for other disabled athletes to follow, but will also educate physically able-bodied people to understand that their counterparts work equally hard to train and compete before they're able to capture medals," he said.
Pattaya seems pragmatic about his overnight success. Regardless of how much he will eventually amass through cash rewards, his plans are to save and keep away from any temptation which would make him squander his earnings frivolously.
His only goal at the moment is to build a sports complex, which will serve as both a training facility for budding handicapped athletes in Amnat Charoen, and a furniture showroom for his father to manage. Nonetheless, he is in no hurry to spend his fortune, saying there is no telling what the future holds for a person whose physical condition limits his freedom of movement.
Pattaya credits his Paralympics success to the immense support he has received from officials and family. He trained for six months for the global sporting event, putting in six arduous hours a day to polish his game tactics under the watchful eyes of national boccia coach Sumrit Kotsila.
''Competing makes me feel good about myself ,'' shared Pattaya, while sitting sandwiched between his doting parents. ''I worked extra hard on my training to clinch first position. My aim to get a gold medal was not just for myself but also for everyone who trusted in me to do well.
''My mother is my biggest supporter and fan, and I own much to her for being there for me always. I wanted to buy her a gift, but she has told me to save my money.''
Asked if he plans to marry one day, with little hesitation, he said ''sure'', adding that the girl of his dreams need not be pretty, that a good heart and being able to understand him is all he requires.
His mother Chaweewan, who has been a pillar of strength to him, shared with pride how much her son deserves the sporting success he is enjoying.
Born just seven months into her pregnancy, Pattaya weighed just 2.5kg at birth. As they lived in a remote sub-district, a midwife delivered him.
There was alarm when he was born, firstly because he didn't cry, and secondly, because he had a purplish complexion. While his family got through the scare, they were soon told by doctors that their only son would never lead a normal life _ he had mixed cerebral palsy. Both parents were devastated. The family searched high and low for answers, spending much time and money on all sorts of medical and herbal remedies, but to little avail.
''Pattaya's father gave me complete responsibility to care for our son, so he could concentrate on bringing in the money,'' said the courageous Chaweewan, who single-handedly supervised her son's weekly trips to the hospital for years.
''From the age of three to 12, I carried him on a local bus from our village to a provincial hospital to receive physiotherapy. Afterwards, when he became too heavy for me to carry, I decided to administer therapy, which I picked up from the nurses, at home.
Chaweewan recalls Pattaya's tumultuous teenage years with raised eyebrows. ''From a sweet-natured young boy, he became rebellious, rude and frustrated with life when he became a teenager,'' said the devoted mother, who also has an older daughter.
''My son did everything to get my attention. There was no way we could persuade him to start schooling. He felt a burden on the family. So from age 12 to 18, he basically stayed at home and hung out with friends. He felt frustrated that he always needed someone to help him. He seemed happier when we were able to get him a wheelchair, which was fitted with a metal stick to take him around the village.
It was only when Pattaya turned 18 that he decided to take up his mother's offer to attend a school for the disabled in Khon Kaen province in the northeast. It was here he was introduced to sports, especially boccia, which he took an instant liking to. For the first time Pattaya felt liberated, said his mother, indulging in an activity that he not only enjoyed, but also excelled in without the help of others. Watching her son's success often makes Chaweewan teary. Not with pity, this time, but rather ''tears of happiness'', she said with a huge smile.
When she received word he had qualified for the London Paralympics and had a good chance of bringing home a gold medal, she was elated and confident he could do so. She encouraged him to train hard. When Pattaya asked her to pack a bottle of fermented fish for him to tale on his trip, she was only happy to oblige.
While she is over the moon with his success, she said it would make her very happy to see him settle down if the right woman came along.
''Pattaya has a good head on his shoulders and is responsible. He also knows how to reason and likes to keep goals in life. I don't worry about him because he knows what is good for him. He has made his family proud of him. If the right woman comes along, I will be happy to see him have a life partner.''
Coach Sumrit, who has known Pattaya for eight years, was full of praise for his star student, saying he is the backbone of the team and a role model to younger athletes. ''He has such a positive energy about him that makes everyone what to give their best,'' said Sumrit.
One can only wish Pattaya the very best in life. His pain is real, but it seems his glory is even more so. He deserves every ounce of it, too.
WHAT IS BOCCIA?
Boccia is a target ball sport that draws its origins from the same family as petanque and bowls. It was first introduced to the Summer Paralympics in 1984. Today, the sport _ which tests muscle control and accuracy _ is played competitively in over 50 countries.
The game is designed for wheelchair athletes with cerebral palsy and associated locomotor conditions. Competitors are expected to be in a seated position within a throwing box at one corner of the playing court. The classification system guarantees an even playing field for participants to compete against others with similar disabilities. It is played on a rectangular court by individuals, pairs and teams.
The aim of the sport is to throw balls so they end as close as possible to a distinguished white target ball, known as the jack. Each player or team gets six balls during each phase of a match, called an ''end''.
The jack is thrown first. Each competing side get a sets of leather balls that come in red and blue and contain plastic granules so they don't bounce, but can still roll. The team or individual whose ball is farthest from the jack, throws until they get a ball nearest, or until they use all of their balls. Once all the balls have been used, one side receives points for each ball they have closer to the jack than their opponents' closest ball.
Boccia demands the highest levels of concentration. Deemed to contain ancient Greek origins, the sport is a combination of a test of nerve, tactics and skill. To win, one has to maintain a solid game, as players can win or lose by the smallest of measurements.
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About the author
Writer: Yvonne BohwongprasertPosition: Reporter
Source: http://www.news.thethailandlinks.com/2012/09/21/trials-and-triumph/
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