Ibrahim Hamadto,
41, is armless. He lost both his upper limbs in a train accident when he was
just 10 years old. But the terrible misfortune didn't stop him from pushing
himself to follow his dreams.
"In our village,
we could only play, at that time, table tennis and soccer, that's why I played
both," Hamadto, who hails from Kafr Saad in northeastern Egypt, told CNN. "It was logic to play soccer first
due to my case; then I played table tennis as a challenge."
Starting at 13, Hamadto spent years working hard to perfect
his game initially he tried different options at gripping the bat, including
holding it under his armpit, before deciding to handle it with his mouth.
"It was quite
difficult playing table tennis after the accident," Hamadto recalled. "I had to practice hard for three
consecutive years on a daily basis. At the beginning, people were amazed and
surprised seeing me playing. They encouraged and supported me a lot and they
were very proud of my willing, perseverance and determination."
People were also very proud of his athletic achievements.
Hamadto, who is married and a father of three, has won several honors over the
years, including the silver medal in the
African Para-Table Tennis Championships last year.
Earlier this month, the Egyptian champion demonstrated his
skills at the World Team Table Tennis
Championships, held in Tokyo, Japan, where he was the guest of honor and
played against some of the sport's biggest names.
“I believe that
nothing is impossible, as long as you work hard.”
Credit: CNN
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