Navin Nair CNN-IBN
New Delhi: Joby Mathew, a man who did not allowed severe disabilities to come in the way of his ambitions, has won a gold medal at the World Arm Wrestling Championship. Despite having 60 per cent disability since birth, Mathew has also won 10 world medals in the last one decade.
The 36-year-old man, who suffers from Bilateral Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency or in simpler terms stunted growth of the legs since birth, has been a World Arm Wrestling champion twice. What his legs could not, he has achieved with his arms and a bundle of raw courage and grit.
"I don't have legs, so I cannot play football or basketball. Hence I focused on my arm power and started arm wrestling in school days. Soon, I was defeating every one," Mathew said.
In March 2008 at Leon in Spain, Mathew became a World Arm Wrestling champion in the normal category. The same year he also won the championship in the disabled category. Mathew even drives a specially modified car and also hits the gymnasium regularly.
"There is so much to learn for all of us from Joby. It's just his determination that keeps him going," Mathew's trainer Shaji said.
"When Joby Mathew addressed us for the first time, he motivated us with his challenges and achievements. He is an inspiration to us," Krishnan R Menon said.
When Mathew isn't thinking of sports, he dons the role of a husband, and a father to his three-year-old son. And with a supportive wife by his side, he has converted his disability into his biggest strength.
"One ambition which remains is to scale the Mount Everest. I want to achieve that in eight years from now after having undergone proper training," Mathew said.
But as the world champion goes on breaking every possible barrier in sports, there is one thing that he is still waiting for and that is recognition because he too has done his nation proud in whatever way he could.
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