The Bhutanese Leading the way.
29-year-old para-athlete Kinley Dema has made the nation proud by securing top 10 ranking in the world for women’s 10m Air Rifle at the recent Paralympic Games in Paris. She scored an impressive 616.8 points.
Despite being born with a disability that prevents her from walking, Kinley discovered her passion for shooting in 2018, inspired by her sister’s involvement in the sport. Her journey began with archery and shooting. She has dedicated herself to training ever since, even participating in international competitions like the Para Asian Games and World Cup.
Her journey to Paris involved rigorous training, including a key 5-day training in New Delhi, India funded by the Bhutan Paralympic Committee (BPC) and the Korean Paralympic Committee (KPC).
“I am grateful for the support I received, firstly to BPC, KPC, Bhutan shooting federation and my coach. Though my goal was to secure a place in the top 8 and competing in the finals, I missed by 0.8 points.”
Nevertheless, she is incredibly proud to represent Bhutan on the global stage, waving the country’s flag and receiving praise for Bhutan’s rich culture. She particularly expressed her gratitude to Her Royal Highness Princess Eeuphelma Choden Wangchuck for the rendering consistent support towards her and to Bhutanese para-athletes.
Kinley shared that her unwavering determination to win a medal will always strive until she accomplishes it.
She said, “I have continued my trainings since the BPC’s beginning, and I am determined to bring a medal for my country. After my participation in 2020 Paralympic Game, it was difficult for me with the Covid situation. There were instances when my mother used to send money from village to support me. I even though of dropping the game. Nevertheless, my mother motivated me to have patience and advised me that rather staying idly at home I would at least get physical exercise. Then, starting 2023 I started receiving my allowances again.”
Also, she highlighted the need for greater support for Bhutanese para-athletes, emphasizing the lack of athletes competing at the Paralympic level, with her being the sole representative this year.
“As an athlete myself, I feel the decreasing number of para-athletes is because of the lack of financial aid and accommodation facilities to encourage participation. If this is considered, many more will be motivated to participate and have the potential to win medals in future.”
Kinley’s coach shared that she is immensely proud of her athlete’s achievements and is confident about her future success.
However, she expressed concern about the lack of participation from individuals with disabilities in sports.
The coach added, “Many people with disabilities do not participate, and those who do shared that they often face barriers like accessibility issues, such as a lack of wheelchair-friendly paths and accommodation making it difficult to continue. I urged individuals to consider the positive impact of sports participation, to look at the potential benefits and embrace the opportunity.”
BPC played a vital role in supporting the athlete’s journey to the Paris, providing comprehensive assistance in terms of finance, logistics, and technical support.
This included securing funding, covering travel expenses, and providing a monthly stipend to both athlete and her coach. They also handled logistics, including accommodation, transportation, and ensuring participation in the games.
Additionally, BPC procured uniforms and specialized equipment, such as firearms and ammunition, with support from the International Paralympic Committee and Korean Paralympic Committee.
BPC shared that there is no specific medical care given to the athletes from them, as they are themselves relying on the local and national health centers. Assistive technologies such as wheelchairs and crutches are provided by the health care centers, and for their elite athletes who compete regionally and internationally, they find support to procure special items, such as wheelchair, shooting glasses, scopes, etc.
BPC stated, “Our core mission is to empower all people with disabilities through sport – ‘Sports for All.’ Every program and event that we organize such as the Paralympic Festival, training camps, and games, are meant to make our community aware of the Paralympic movement, empower them with the choices and opportunities to find a future in sports and lead an active life, and challenge the notion of what a person with a disability can and cannot do.”
Further BPC shared that at present, most of the funding that they receive has gone to organizing events and ensuring their athletes are successfully able to compete in their games.
“With the help of the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) and Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC), accessible infrastructure and facilities such as the accessible bathrooms at Changlimithang Stadium and Bhutan Amateur Athletics Federation (BAAF) are steps towards a more accessible Bhutan.”
BPC said, “One of the most important missions of the Paralympic movement is to challenge the stereotype of people with disabilities being stationary and unable to fend for themselves. We do this by providing a level playing field wherein anyone with a disability is able to not only compete but shine in their respective sports. Seeing people with disabilities play and excel in sports for all the world to see creates a feedback loop that questions traditional stereotypes and inspires everyone.”
BPC shared that in the future, they are going to prioritize events and games for their athletes and trainees in preparation for the next Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya and Summer Paralympic Games in Los Angeles for the next four years.
“We hope to continue enhancing and increasing our events and programs which involve students, schools, and communities like the Paralympic Festival and Para Sports Camps, effectively increasing the awareness of the Paralympic movement while enabling us to find more potential Para athletes.”
People with disabilities who are interested in pursuing a career in para sports can visit their respective sports federations, 5 of which are actively training para athletes and training and access training facilities for the sport.
