by Pardingtone Nhundu
Terezinha Guilhermina is the fastest blind woman in the world — after breaking the world record for the 100-meter race and winning two gold medals at the 2012 London Paralympics, she was recognized for her achievement in the Guinness Book of World Records. Now, the 37-year-old Brazilian sprinter says she’s ready to break new ground at this summer’s Paralympic Games: “I know myself really well and I have managed to evolve quite a bit,” she says. “My current times are the best of my entire career.” And, with the Summer Games being held in her home country, she has the whole country rallying around her as she lives her dream. “If I had to live my life over again, I would live it exactly the same way,” Guilhermina says. “I would do everything in the same way. I don’t regret anything.”
Guilhermina, who has a degenerative vision condition called retinitis pigmentosa, dreamed of running from an early age, but growing up very poor, she didn’t have the money for proper running shoes. “I thought I would try to register for swimming [for disabled athletes] because I had the bathing suit,” she remembers. However, her heart was always in running and, after her sister helped her get her first pair of running shoes, it quickly became obvious that she was a gifted runner. She began training in earnest and, today, Guilhermina says, “All my time has basically been spent eating, training and sleeping. I don’t have time for anything else during the day.” Training involves not only perfecting her own technique, but also learning how to partner effectively with a running guide: “It’s a collaborative effort, and what should guide the relationship is respect,” she says.
The beauty of this partnership was brilliantly captured in this photo by Kerim Okten, showing Guilhermina with her guide Guilherme Soares de Santana as they crossed the finish line in 12.01 seconds to win the Women’s 100m T11 final at the last Paralympics. Today, as she pursues her dream of another world record, Guilhermina also hopes that her example will inspire others struggling with the types of obstacles she’s experienced, from disability to financial hardship: “A lot of people that don’t have anything can make it,” she asserts. “I never accepted the little I had. I knew that if I were the best in the world, my reality could change. I was always the person who didn’t conform to the idea of ‘halfway.’”
You can read more about Guilhermina’s career and hopes for the 2016 Paralympics and beyond on HuffPost at https://www.huffpost.com/entry/terezinha-guilhermina-brazil_n_573f36f9e4b0613b512a1551
To introduce children to another inspiring runner who overcame tremendous obstacles to become the world’s fastest woman, we highly recommend “Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman” for ages 5 to 9 at http://www.amightygirl.com/wilma-unlimited
For an uplifting picture book about a young blind girl who wants to run a race — and how her friends help make it happen — check out “My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay” for ages 4 to 8 at http://www.amightygirl.com/my-three-best-friends-and-me-zulay
Helen Keller, who was also deaf-blind, was one of the first people in the world to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities — for books for children and teens about Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan, visit our “Helen Keller Collection” at http://amgrl.co/1gB3SE7
For parents seeking to help kids understand that diversity comes in many forms, including ableness, visit our selection of stories about Mighty Girls with disabilities at http://amgrl.co/1nmtpnp
And, for a fantastic t-shirt celebrating the power of girls and women, check out the “Though She Be But Little She Is Fierce” t-shirt — available in a variety of styles and colors for all ages at http://www.amightygirl.com/fierce-t-shirt
(c) extracted from A Mighty Girl
