Struggles of Thailand's unknown champion

He's 37 & can't move much of his body but could still win a gold medal in weightlifting at the London Paralympics Games.

Read a related article on how the UN has declared 2013-2022 as the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities here.

Click button to listen to Paralympics Gold Medal Hopeful to download

PROFILE

Going for gold

When the going gets tough, the tough get going
25/05/2012
Yvonne Bohwongprasert

Paralysed waist down by polio since a toddler, Suchart Sukcharoen has used sports to overcome his physical inadequacies. Powerlifting is his chosen field and he has represented Thailand at numerous international events, the latest of which will be be the London Paralympics later this summer where the 37-year-old will compete in the 52-kg category.

This time he is hoping at least for a podium finish, if not gold, and standing in his way will be lifters from China, Iran and Nigeria.

"My debut at Beijing Paralympics ended in a sixth place finish, so I am really focused on doing better in London. Hopefully even pick up a medal," said the Phichit-born Suchart, a farmer's son. "I started training well before attending the coaching camp for the Paralympics because the competition is going to be tough, with several new, young faces in contention. It will be hard to reach my goal of getting a gold medal as I am not getting any younger. But I will do my very best."

Life caught up with Suchart on one of the hottest afternoons in Bangkok, at Hua Mark Stadium where he has been training the last three months. Reserved at first, it didn't take Suchart long to loosen up, and then shared some details about himself most would prefer not to divulge.

"My life is an open book," he remarked with a smile. "I grew up in a poor family that had few material goods. However, I did have warm and caring parents who laboured to get food on the table for their three children. Every day they walked 6km from our shanty home to work on farms to supplement their income. We led a hand to mouth existence.

I had polio at the age of four, after that I have very much lived the life of a cripple. Despite unable to walk, my mother told me I was always hyperactive, which made it difficult for her to keep up with me even when I was a baby, as I was still crawling. My parents went out on a limb to find hospitals seeking treatment for my legs. It used to take them an entire day to reach the nearest provincial medical clinic, and they had to borrow to pay for my medical bills. When I was old enough for school, my father used what ever carpentry skills he had to make crutches for me so I did not have to crawl my way to school.

Suchart has come a long way since.

It's been a long and arduous journey for him. Along the way he took to drinking to suppress his anger and resentment that comes from being a cripple. His emotions spiralled downward when he was old enough to realise he had to find a way to deal with his handicap for the rest of his life. At the back of his mind he wished there was a magic wand that could make him walk. Malicious taunts and ragging by neighbours and school mates made him the laughing stock of his surroundings, and all he could do was bottle up his emotions of low self esteem and alienation from his peers and society. His drinking problem escalated when he entered his 20s. Failing to hold down a job, he drifted like a vagabond, spending months away from home, his parents worried. He found it difficult to envision a career for himself.

Speaking of his childhood, after completing sixth grade, his parents didn't have enough money to send him to school. During rebellious teenage years he resisted authority, preferring to live a life of a rebel. Despite his wayward behaviour, he managed to complete high school through a free long distance learning programme offered by the government.

Growing up in a society which offers few opportunities to people with physical and mental disabilities further disheartened Suchart. Despite his mother's unwavering love, feelings of worthlessness and low self esteem bit into his emotional being day after day, and he wandered aimlessly around his village. Years of taunting had finally caught up on him, making him feel like a social reject.

After years living in depression, Suchart saw light at the end of the tunnel. He had his taste of sports watching the Fespic (Far East and South Pacific) Games for the Disabled on television, which inspired him to compete at international level.

"I wasted three years of my life to bouts of depression and alcoholism," he recollected. "Life took a turn for the better when a family friend suggested to my mother to send me to Pattaya Redemptorist Vocational School for People with Disabilities to set me up on a career path. I only complied because Pattaya was a popular beach destination but I'd never been there. I was more keen to experience its beautiful beaches and myriad of international tourists that arrive there every year.

I studied electronics in the hope that it could earn me a decent living. It was at this school that I was introduced to sports. Prior to the 1999 Fespic Games, I had tried my hands at everything - wheelchair tennis, basketball, table tennis and swimming when I nearly drowned. Eventually, I was spotted by a weightlifting coach, who believed that with training and discipline I could become a good athlete. Under his guidance I qualified for the Games where I picked up a silver. It was a dream come true. A string of other wins followed, at both the national and international level.

Suchart was just 27 years old then and a bit surprised by his success. A decade has elapsed since but he is going strong. Sports, he noted, gave him a lifeline. It helped him turn on a new leaf, taught him to stay focused, be disciplined and competitive. Bringing fame and recognition to his country on the sporting field has been a very rewarding experience for him.

From prize money he has won so far, Suchart was able to purchase a house and rubber plantation in Udon Thani province. He also has a car and enough spare money to purchase lottery tickets and sell them for a small profit.

"If it wasn't for sports I would probably be working at an electronics shop for a pittance. Or worse still been an alcoholic with no future," said the Paralympics gold medal hopeful.

(Source: Bangkok Post, PROFILE, Going for gold, When the going gets tough, the tough get going, 25/05/2012, Yvonne Bohwongprasert, link) 

Paralympics Vocabulary

Powerlifting - competitive weightlifting in which the winner lifts the heaviest weight with three attempts, unlike Olympic weightlifting the three kinds of lift include: squat, bench press and deadlift (See Wikipedia)

paralympics - an Olympics for people with physical disabilities, "a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their respective Olympic Games" (See Wikipedia)

London Paralympics - the 2012 Summer Paralympics (See Wikipedia)

Fespic (Far East and South Pacific) Games for the Disabled - the FESPIC Games, the paralympics for the Asia region (See Wikipedia)

physical disability - when a person's body does not work as it should and prevents them from functioning normally in life, can include mobility impairments (cannot move), hearing impairments (cannot hear) and visual impairments (cannot see) (See Wikipedia)

disabled - when a person has a physical or mental, sensory, emotional or developmental proble, includes a lot more than "physical disability" (See Wikipedia)

paralyzed - paralysis, when a person is not able to move part of their body (See Wikipedia)
waist - the middle part of the body that is narrower than the parts above and below เอว
paralysed from the waist down by polio

polio - an infectious disease that causes paralysis that has largely been eliminated around the world by vaccination (See Wikipedia)
toddler - a very young child, just beginning to walk

tough - difficult to do or to deal with ยาก  ยากลำบาก
the going gets tough (adjective) - when an activity becomes difficult
the tough get going  (noun) - people who are strong (and able to deal with difficult situations) start to do their work

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

going for gold - competing to win a gold medal

overcome - solve a problem or put and end to a difficulty; to succeed in controlling or dealing with something ต่อสู้อุปสรรคจนสำเร็จสำมารถดำเนินการต่อไปได้

used sports to overcome his physical inadequacies

Powerlifting is his chosen field

numerous - many มากมาย
international - ระหว่างประเทศ between countries
represented Thailand at numerous international events

category - a group of people or things that have similar qualities หมวดหมู่ ประเภท
compete in the 52-kg category

Paralysed waist down by polio since a toddler, Suchart Sukcharoen has used sports to overcome his physical inadequacies. Powerlifting is his chosen field and he has represented Thailand at numerous international events, the latest of which will be be the London Paralympics later this summer where the 37-year-old will compete in the 52-kg category.

podium - a box or stage that a person stands on (here: to receive a medal at the end of an athletic competition)
a podium finish - meaning: won a medal (so standing on the podium to receive a medal)

This time he is hoping at least for a podium finish, if not gold, and standing in his way will be lifters from China, Iran and Nigeria.

debut - starting some activity for the first time


training - to teach people how to do an activity or job การฝึกฝน
in contention - competing, trying to win (a sporting competition, for example)

"My debut at Beijing Paralympics ended in a sixth place finish, so I am really focused on doing better in London. Hopefully even pick up a medal," said the Phichit-born Suchart, a farmer's son. "I started training well before attending the coaching camp for the Paralympics because the competition is going to be tough, with several new, young faces in contention. It will be hard to reach my goal of getting a gold medal as I am not getting any younger. But I will do my very best.

reserved - quiet and shy (not mixing and speaking with people a lot)
loosen up - relax, not be so serious

divulge - tell people something that isn't known, tell people a secret 
prefer not to divulge

Life caught up with Suchart on one of the hottest afternoons in Bangkok, at Hua Mark Stadium where he has been training the last three months. Reserved at first, it didn't take Suchart long to loosen up, and then shared some details about himself most would prefer not to divulge.

material goods - things that you own (car, house, motorcycle, TV set, etc)
a poor family that had few material goods

supplement - add to
income - money that people receive from work or some other source, used for household consumption and savings
supplement their income - make some extra money (in addition to usual job)

hand to mouth existence - very poor, only make enough money each day to feed yourself, not save any money at all

"My life is an open book," he remarked with a smile. "I grew up in a poor family that had few material goods. However, I did have warm and caring parents who laboured to get food on the table for their three children. Every day they walked 6km from our shanty home to work on farms to supplement their income. We led a hand to mouth existence.

cripple - disabled (both "handicapped" and "crippled" are not used much, replaced by the more proper "disabled" and "physically challenged")
hyperactive - when a person is very active and moves around with their body a lot (finding it very hard to relax) (See Wikipedia)

crawl - moving along the ground with your hands and legs (like a very small baby)
went out on a limb to - tried very hard to

treatment - the process of providing medical care การรักษา
treatment for my legs

bills - money owed to others that must be paid quickly
medical bills - money owed for medical treatment that you received that must be paid quickly

skills - a type of work or task requiring special training and knowledge ทักษะ ความสามารถเฉพาะทาง
carpentry skills - skills in building houses and furniture out of wood

crutches - pieces of wood held under the arms to help a person with a leg injury walk

I had polio at the age of four, after that I have very much lived the life of a cripple. Despite unable to walk, my mother told me I was always hyperactive, which made it difficult for her to keep up with me even when I was a baby, as I was still crawling. My parents went out on a limb to find hospitals seeking treatment for my legs. It used to take them an entire day to reach the nearest provincial medical clinic, and they had to borrow to pay for my medical bills. When I was old enough for school, my father used what ever carpentry skills he had to make crutches for me so I did not have to crawl my way to school. Suchart has come a long way since.

arduous - using a lot of energy and effort, exhausting 
journey - travelling to a place, a trip 
a long and arduous journey

suppress - stop from appearing or arising or coming into existence
suppress his anger - stop his anger from appearing, stop himself from being angry

resentment - not liking something and wishing it wasn't that way; anger and bitter feelings about something ความไม่พอใจ
resentment that comes from being a cripple

emotions spiralled downward - he became sadder and sadder

realise - to know about ตระหนัก รู้
handicap - disability

old enough to realise he had to find a way to deal with his handicap for the rest of his life.

magic wand - a magical stick used by a witch or fairy to do magic

malicious - wishing harm to others
taunt - saying something bad to other people
malicious taunts - when people say bad things to you to hurt your feelings

laughing stock - being laughed at; someone who people laugh at a lot
surroundings - the area around something บริเวณโดยรอบ
the laughing stock of his surroundings

bottle up his emotions - not say or get angry about what he really feels (hide emotions)
self esteem - how valuable a person feels they are, appraisal of self-worth (See Wikipedia)
low self esteem - a feeling of worthlessness; when a person feels that they are not worth very much

alienation - the feeling that you do not belong in a group, society or place
peers - people at the same level and age as you (at school or in the world of work, colleagues in the same company or industry) เพื่อนร่ีวมสาขาอาชีพ
alienation from his peers

alcoholism - the health and psychological problems that come from drinking too much alcohol (beer, whisky, etc), "compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing" (See Wikipedia)
drinking problem - Same as "alcoholism"

escalated - got worse, increased in intensity ; when a conflict gets worse and worse
drinking problem escalated - became more of an alcoholic

His drinking problem escalated when he entered his 20s

hold down a job - have a job for a long period of time (without getting fired from the job, without losing the job)
failing to hold down a job

drift - wander around, go places and do things without any goal
vagabond - a person without a home or job who travels from place to place
drifted like a vagabond

envision - imagine something that could happen; to see and plan what your future will be like
career - a job that you do for your whole life or much of your life   (See Wikipedia)(See glossary)
envision a career for himself

It's been a long and arduous journey for him. Along the way he took to drinking to suppress his anger and resentment that comes from being a cripple. His emotions spiralled downward when he was old enough to realise he had to find a way to deal with his handicap for the rest of his life. At the back of his mind he wished there was a magic wand that could make him walk. Malicious taunts and ragging by neighbours and school mates made him the laughing stock of his surroundings, and all he could do was bottle up his emotions of low self esteem and alienation from his peers and society. His drinking problem escalated when he entered his 20s. Failing to hold down a job, he drifted like a vagabond, spending months away from home, his parents worried. He found it difficult to envision a career for himself.

authority - the power to make decisions and orders, the power to control people and events อำนาจ, อำนาจในการสั่งการ

resisted authority - not do what your boss, your teachers, parents, the police , etc tell you to do
rebel (noun) - a person who "resists authority"  ; to fight against the government or to refuse to obey rules, etc กบถ

rebellious (adjective) - "resisting authority"
rebellious teenage years

prefer - liking one thing more than other things
preferring to live a life of a rebel

wayward behaviour - not behaving in the right way (example: "resisting authority")
long distance learning programme - taking classes over the internet or through the mail at a university or school

Speaking of his childhood, after completing sixth grade, his parents didn't have enough money to send him to school. During rebellious teenage years he resisted authority, preferring to live a life of a rebel. Despite his wayward behaviour, he managed to complete high school through a free long distance learning programme offered by the government.

opportunities - a situation in which a person can do what they want to do
disheartened - when a person does not have the motivation or feeling, hope or drive to do something anymore หมดกำลังใจ,ท้อใจ

reject - to refuse to accept or take a person anymore
social reject - a person who is rejected by a group; group refuses to accept them as a member

Growing up in a society which offers few opportunities to people with physical and mental disabilities further disheartened Suchart. Despite his mother's unwavering love, feelings of worthlessness and low self esteem bit into his emotional being day after day, and he wandered aimlessly around his village. Years of taunting had finally caught up on him, making him feel like a social reject.

depression - feel very sad; not feel good
saw light at the end of the tunnel - saw final success in a long project (and this gave the person motivation and energy to finish the project)

After years living in depression, Suchart saw light at the end of the tunnel. He had his taste of sports watching the Fespic (Far East and South Pacific) Games for the Disabled on television, which inspired him to compete at international level.

bout - a period of time during which something bad happens (example: a bout of depression)
bouts of depression and alcoholism

Pattaya Redemptorist Vocational School for People with Disabilities

career path - a series of jobs or positions that a person has during their career
complied - followed rules

destination - a place that people travel to; a tourism place ปลายทาง จุดหมายปลายทาง
popular beach destination

keen - very interested in activity สนใจอย่างยิ่ง very interested, eager or wanting (to do) something very much ใจจดใจจ่อ
keen to experience the beautiful beaches

myriad - very many of something
myriad of international tourists that arrive there every year

"I wasted three years of my life to bouts of depression and alcoholism," he recollected. "Life took a turn for the better when a family friend suggested to my mother to send me to Pattaya Redemptorist Vocational School for People with Disabilities to set me up on a career path. I only complied because Pattaya was a popular beach destination but I'd never been there. I was more keen to experience its beautiful beaches and myriad of international tourists that arrive there every year.

I studied electronics in the hope that it could earn me a decent living. It was at this school that I was introduced to sports. Prior to the 1999 Fespic Games, I had tried my hands at everything - wheelchair tennis, basketball, table tennis and swimming when I nearly drowned. Eventually, I was spotted by a weightlifting coach, who believed that with training and discipline I could become a good athlete. Under his guidance I qualified for the Games where I picked up a silver. It was a dream come true. A string of other wins followed, at both the national and international level.

decade - a period of ten years ทศวรรษ, ระยะเวลา 10 ปี
a decade has elapsed - 10 years have passed

lifeline - something that saves your life (like a rope thrown to a drowning person)

turn a new leaf - change in an important positive way (that will help you in life to succeed)

stay focused - put all your energy and focus into achieving one thing
disciplined - controlled มีวินัย (ในการใช้จ่าย) following rules and standards of behaviour, forcing others to follow these rules ปฏิบัติตามระเบียบข้อบังคับ (See glossary)

competitive - involving competition, trying to be the one who wins something มีการแข่งขัน
recognition - be known for something; everyone accepts the value of

rewarding experience - some event or activity that gives you a reward, especially by making you feel satisfied that you have done something important or useful, or done something well ซึ่งให้ผลตอบแทน

guidance - help and advice about how to do something or about how to deal with problems การแนะแนว, การแนะนำ

Suchart was just 27 years old then and a bit surprised by his success. A decade has elapsed since but he is going strong. Sports, he noted, gave him a lifeline. It helped him turn a new leaf, taught him to stay focused, be disciplined and competitive. Bringing fame and recognition to his country on the sporting field has been a very rewarding experience for him.

plantation - a large farm where crops such as tea, coffee, cotton, sugar or, in this case, trees, are grown ไร่ นาขนาดใหญ่
profit - money that you make from selling goods and services after all your costs have been paid กำไร
working for a pittance - working for a very small amount of money

From prize money he has won so far, Suchart was able to purchase a house and rubber plantation in Udon Thani province. He also has a car and enough spare money to purchase lottery tickets and sell them for a small profit. "If it wasn't for sports I would probably be working at an electronics shop for a pittance. Or worse still been an alcoholic with no future," said the Paralympics gold medal hopeful.