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SINGAPORE: After winning Singapore's first-ever Paralympic medal in an equestrian event, Laurentia Tan will be performing to music, despite being hearing impaired.
Born with profound deafness and cerebral palsy, she will have to rely on her countless rehearsals when she performs to music in an individual freestyle equestrian event on Thursday.
Penny Pegrum, Tan's coach, said: "She has to concentrate on the horse's rhythm and his way of going, so that she can stay in time with the music which she can't hear. She has to rely on me to signal the start and end of the music. Other than that, I am not allowed to get involved.
"I think training a deaf rider is really difficult and for a deaf rider to overcome (the challenges) takes a lot of courage and commitment."
Tan picked up horse riding when she was five for physiotherapy, and it has clearly paid off in many ways. Through the Paralympics, she has thrust herself and the profile of disabled sports into the spotlight.
The 29-year-old is also the first to receive the Athletes Achievement Award (AAA), set up by the Singapore National Paralympic Council, which rewards her with S$25,000 for her bronze medal.
Singaporean swimmer Theresa Goh is also gunning for a medal when she takes part in her pet event – 100-metre breaststroke – on Friday.
Ang Peng Siong, Goh's coach, said: "Knowing that Theresa has a medal chance for this Beijing Games, we have been pretty geared up in terms of how we utilise the training plan."
So far, Goh has built up some good momentum in the Games. Earlier this week, she broke the national record in the 100-metre freestyle and clocked a personal best in the 200-metre event.
Fellow swimmer Yip Pin Xiu takes to the water at the end of the week, while wheelchair racer Eric Ting is in the heats for the 400-metre event on Friday.
Sailors Jovin Tan and Desiree Lim currently stand at eighth overall in their ongoing sailing event.
- CNA/so
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