Meet Zinzael Agir, a 20-year-old boy from Nauru, an island country in Micronesia, northeast of Australia. Each day goes by, with the young man aspiring to do better in his sport, specifically— powerlifting.
During the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin in 2023, Zinzael represented his country in his sport and cinched two bronze and silver medals each.
He trains under his grandfather, Ruswell Engar, the head of delegation, Nauru, who describes him simply as “just a happy boy.” Back home, Zinzael talks to his friends, many of whom are deaf, in local sign language. While his words are few and far between, he is an expressive communicator, conveying with his facial expressions and gestures his excitement, happiness and feelings, often punctuated with his signature smile.
In the lead-up to the Games, Zinzael trained hard with his grandfather every day and followed a strict routine – waking up early, eating, training, and going to church.
His love for powerlifting is apparent, as he triumphantly finishes each lift with a wide, toothy grin, conveying his delight and joy clearly. For the uninitiated, powerlifting is a strength sport typically consisting of three attempts on three lifts at maximum weight – the squat, bench press, and deadlift. In particular, Zinzael’s favourite lift is the squat and his dream is to lift 135 kg someday.
The support of his family underscores Zinzael’s growth and their love and encouragement have formed the bedrock of his success. Apart from his grandfather, Ruswell who is also his trainer and mentor, Zinzael’s father was also the one who first introduced him to Special Olympics (SO).
Zinzael’s story is all the more powerful, especially since Special Olympics Nauru almost did not make it to the World Games last year due to a lack of funding.
Special Olympics Asia Pacific had stepped in with a fundraising initiative to raise funds, successfully raising sufficient funds for a small delegation from Nauru to fly to Berlin to chase their dreams and compete at the World Games.
It’s an opportunity Zinzael seized and made the most of scoring multiple wins, and he is proud to have done his best, representing his country on the world stage.
While it’s a story of triumph, Ruswell acknowledges that a lot more needs to be done for people with intellectual disabilities. Some of these PWIDs are unemployed, some are not working, and they rely on their families. “I feel more needs to be done by the government in supporting and standing by them,” he says. “The children are unbeatable together. I just wish more can be done to help them.”
It’s a plea and reminder for all of us to act progressively to support those who are marginalised, and drive inclusion in concrete ways in whatever way we can, recognising that regardless of differences, everyone seeks joy, has dreams, and deserves the same opportunities.
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