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February 21, 2006
Hearing loss is no handicap to Anthony
Anthony Shing has never heard the crowd’s roar as he swims to first place, nor will he hear Dawn Fraser call out his name at tonight’s Young Australian Sports Award ceremony in Sydney. All of Anthony’s remarkable swimming victories have been won in silence as the 18-year-old from Bli Bli was born with a profound hearing disability and has a 95% hearing loss.
Yet an inability to hear the starter gun hasn’t stopped Anthony from realising his dreams.
“We used to have to tap him as the gun went off, but as he improved in the sport we were stopped from doing it because it is viewed as interference,” mum Ronnie said.
“Now there’s a light on starter gun so he knows when to go. He will always be point nought, nought, comma something behind the rest because of this, but it hasn’t affected his ability.”
When Anthony lines up with the other greats at tonight’s premier sporting award ceremony to celebrate sporting excellence, he will be up there because of his ability, not his hearing disability.
Under the capable guidance of coach, Michael Sage of the Coolum-Peregian Aquatic Centre, Anthony has won 30 mainstream age records in three years.
He has swum with the likes of Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and his personal favourite, Michael Klim.
“He could compete with them; he’d be in the eighth lane, but he’d be up there,” said Mrs Shing.
Anthony hasn’t allowed his hearing difficulty to affect any area of his life.
He graduated from Maroochy High last year, is completing a TAFE course in sports science and hopes to join the Australian Institute of Sport.
By Kathy Sundstrom
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3673491
Posted by 4HL on February 21, 2006 4:04 PM
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