A
passionate student/athlete can enlighten his country among the nation in Olympics and Paralympics. Being
a first ever person from Pakistan in Sochi Paralympics 2014 Russia, I
decided to share my experience in Olympics with all of you. I am Rana Raza Khan from Pakistan studying in University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. This success story may be helpful for those who want to explore the world and meet their star athletes
from around the world.
Working force has been a core part of the Olympics and Paralympics Games they work with an organizing committee. Organizing committee of Olympic Games (OCOG) provided exclusive training courses, English
lessons, a uniform, meals, transport around the city, and a certificate of
participation.
Follow
the high dreams and struggle to make them true is a big deal. I wanted to
explore the world so I hunt the great opportunity to work in Sochi Winter
Paralympics 2014, Russia. I applied for Olympics and Paralympics 2014. I stand
in the crowd for Paralympics, I am thankful to organizer to accept me for
Paralympics and I hoped that in Rio 2016, I`ll get chance for both games. It was very tough competition and OCOG took different
type of test step by step and I have passed all of them and received big news
that I got selected. It was a great happiness for me.
I
was very excited before departure because I am going to fly first time in
my life. I wanted to see Olympics live
and this time I am going to make it real.
My
first destination was Istanbul and I have 17 hours stay over there and I could
not sleep for a second there and I was waiting for Sochi. I reached above to
the Olympic park at night and it looks
very beautiful and it was illuminated all around with colorful lights after
seeing this my heart beat getting fast I tried to captured picture from the
airplane, Air hostess were trying to stop me but she gave up in front of my
excitement. When I reached in Adler
International Air port, I received a warm welcome from Sochi Olympics
volunteers and they guide me how to get to the volunteer village. For
volunteers in the Coastal and Mountain Clusters tents, stages, sound, lighting
and video equipment have been set up to provide entertainment for volunteers in
their spare time, with performances from a cultural and entertainment program. Here
I am very thankful to OCOG for great hospitality during games.
When
I reached in Sochi Olympics games were continue
and I have some free days so I visited number of beautiful and cultural places
in Sochi like Adler, Khosta, Matsesta ,Krasnayapolyana , Laura and Roza Khotar.
I can say that Sochi has a beautiful and extra ordinary structure.
I
am thankful to all of my teachers especially. Dr. Yasir Jamil (Chairman
Department of Physic UAF) and Mr. Zia Ul Haq , they encouraged me on every stage
and appreciated me so much for this unique opportunity. I am also very thankful
to worthy Vice Chancellor (UAF) Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan cherished me to grab
this opportunity.
After
5 days I received my uniform and accreditation card and I enter 1st
time in Olympic park I can’t explain highness of my happiness in words. And it
got double when I met with Pakistani Olympian
Muhammad karim (Skier). He is the only Pakistani skier to participated in
giant Slalom event of Sochi Olympics 2014 and his coach Javaid Iqbal, they got surprised and they really appreciated
me and they give me beautiful pins as present.
They encouraged me to keep this track on and they invited me to come in
Olympic village (mountain village). I was the only one from Pakistan who met them
and took memorable picture with stars.
First
time in life I watch Sidney Olympics 1998 on TV and I wished at that time I can
see opening and closing ceremonies live and in 2014 it happened in reality I
was on duty at Fisht stadium and I got chance to see all world class
performances live. I took many pictures
with international athletes I had a busy evening in Fisht stadium on opening
ceremony. Action started on Saturday and
runs until Sunday 16 March and the Games featured 547 athletes from a record 45
countries, with 72 gold medals up for grabs across the five sports - biathlon,
cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling.
And I was the luckiest person who watches live all these games freely.
Over 8,000 volunteers have taken part
in Russia’s first-ever Winter Paralympic Games, working a collective total of
80,000 shifts. The majority of the volunteers were Russian, coming from numerous
time zones. Over 400 international volunteers from over 60 countries around the
world are engaged. I was living with 6 volunteer and we all seven were from
different countries so we shared our knowledge and we learn many things from each
other. Their names are Stefano Matarrese (Luxemburg), Bruce Faulkner (Canada),
George Rolling (Greece), Ivan Ryabkov (Russia), Erik Furreboe (USA), Yuanchao Ma (China). They are now my good
friends and some of them will meet again in Rio Olympics 2016.
During work and off time volunteers
and spectators from different countries were coming to asking me about my country and when I was telling
them about our culture , tradition , sports
and beautiful land, they got astonished and replying me that Pakistan is
a wonderful country and we were imagine on the other hand. I have over 10 years’ experience in volunteer work and now I’m earning the rewards. It’s an opportunity to learn and develop. The outcomes are so life-enhancing.
