Kidderminster College student Nisha Balu, 23, is a sporting superstar amongst her fellow classmates after representing Great Britain for the third successive time in the Basketball Team at the Special Olympics World Games held in Shanghai; a sporting event for athletes with learning difficulties and/or disabilities from more than 165 countries.
Nisha, who suffers from a weakness to the left side of her body, has always enjoyed sport and has been playing basket ball since the age of 16. Going into this year's games as the current Olympic champions, the GB Basketball squad were unfortunately beaten to gold by team USA and ended up in fourth position. Nisha said: "Although we beat team USA in the group stages they went on to win the tournament. We weren't too upset as the motto of the games is Let me win but if I cannot win let me brave in the attempt' and we were certainly brave throughout all of our games."
Studying on the Team Enterprise programme, a course of study for students with learning difficulties to encourage their entrepreneurial and business skills, Nisha is hopeful to win back the gold medal at the next games in Greece in 2011. "My family are really proud of my achievements, although my cousins actually forgot I was going, and I love playing basketball for team GB so I definitely hope to play in Greece in 2011."
Jan Dearden, Nisha's tutor at Kidderminster College said: "Nisha is a wonderful student who certainly doesn't let her disability get in the way of her goals in life."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article