If it wasn't for wheelchair racing, Thailand's Pongsakorn Paeyo, 24, who made history at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics by setting a new world record in the 400m and picked up gold medals in the 100m and 800m, would be living life with little purpose.
The triple gold medal powerhouse, who clinched two gold and two silver medals at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, became a crowd favourite for his speed and cheerful demeanour.
Married with a young daughter, the national athlete is the youngest of three children of farmers in Khon Kaen province. Born with polio, he lost his father when he was two months old, leaving his mother to single-handedly raise the family by working as a farmhand and doing odd jobs around the village.
Pongsakorn lived with his family until the age of five after which he was sent to a government boarding school for the physically challenged. It was only during summer breaks that he had the opportunity to be with his siblings and mother and even then he saw little of her because she had taken on multiple jobs to raise her children.
"While I love my family, I don't have a strong bond with them. My entire childhood was spent in a boarding school, which when I look back, actually benefitted me because I grew up with people with disabilities around me. That is why I did not feel inferior to anyone and did not experience discrimination.
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games - Athletics - Men's 800m - T53 Round 1 - Heat 2 - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - September 2, 2021. Pongsakorn Paeyo of Thailand in action REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha Photo: REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha
"I felt physical disability was the norm and that is why I took it in my stride. It also made me realise that the only thing that sets the able-bodied and disabled apart is the physical differences. Besides that, we are the same. Boarding school for me was a blessing in disguise in many ways. It not only helped me develop my passion for wheelchair racing at 13 but also taught me to be independent and not a burden on society. I have always loved speed and if I was able-bodied, I would probably be racing cars. Wheelchair racing gave me that same adrenaline-pumping excitement."
After completing his secondary education, Pongsakorn decided to do a commerce course. Unlike his friends who joined vocational courses for the physically challenged, the Paralympian had other plans. He wanted to study with able-bodied students to get a sense of the challenges he would face in the world.
"I was there for about a term because not long after joining, I was selected for the national wheelchair racing team. However, those few months that I spent in college helped me become an emotionally stronger person," said Pongsakorn.
"During my time at college, I was given no special treatment and that meant having to crawl up to the 1st floor of the building where my regular classes were held. My teachers mentored me well. They assigned my classmates to help me get around, which was a relief. What I learned from the experience was that if you are happy in your skin, no amount of belittling can make you feel discouraged."
Describing himself as shy and introverted by nature, he said what inspired him to work hard to win medals was the reward at the finish line. Bittersweet life experiences marked by lack of financial resources since a young age made him determined to make life better for himself and his family.
Pongsakorn found wheelchair racing the perfect fit for him. It was fast and challenging, and as an 18-year-old national athlete, he couldn't have been happier with his career choice.
In a short time, he rose through the ranks and brought home trophies. To achieve such results required a lot of blood, sweat and tears. He had to spend long hours practising, something he was not exactly used to at first.
"Unlike other racers, I didn't use the gym to build muscles, or food supplements. The powerful physique I have built is from the countless hours I practised on the track. This did not just help me build arm muscle but also get accustomed to a tailormade wheelchair.
"Besides this, the training also helped me burn calories, so I ate everything -- sticky rice, som tam, grilled chicken and all of the good stuff [laughs]."
Pongsakorn's ability to perform under pressure is largely derived from his capability to control his nerves at crucial moments.
"I am probably most wound up moments before the race and the time where coaches are not allowed in the waiting room. This is when I give myself a short pep talk and that does it for me. I become fearless when I am on the track.
"I credit my success at the Tokyo Paralympics to my determination to succeed and training which my coaches should be credited for. Like athletics, wheelchair racing is a tactical sport, so practice makes perfect. It puts you in the right frame of mind on race day."
Pongsakorn said because wheelchair racers have equal opportunity to know-how and state-of-the-art technology to raise their game, winning medals today is mostly how well racers train, plus their God-given talents.
Cash prizes from the government and private sector to the tune of 21 million baht for his three gold medals have made all the hard work worthwhile.
Having already purchased property and land for his mother from his earlier prize money, he has set aside a certain amount of money for the education of his nephew. He also is investing in the future of his daughter.
"I want her to have a good life. Times are uncertain, so I will use this money wisely."
Pongsakorn said that while education opportunities for the physically challenged in Thailand have improved over the years, coupled with greater acceptance from the general public of their presence in society, what remained the same was the practice of not allowing Paralympic medallists to be given the same honour as their Olympic counterparts when it comes to getting bestowed with an official rank in either the police force or military for bringing fame to the country.
"Disappointments in life have taught me not to expect anything from anyone, however, this blatant oversight has touched a nerve in me. This is downright inequality. We work just as hard as our Olympic counterparts to finish first and hear the Thai national anthem in the arena. When it comes to competitions, we also face world-class competitors and winning a medal at the Paralympic Games is no child's play.
"The physically challenged are capable individuals, so honouring us with an official rank no matter how small proves that you are not picking sides, and more importantly not discriminating against us."
