It’s a Sunday in March in Chile. Valentina Biskupovic has simply arrived at her home, positioned within the metropolis of Santiago, after an intense morning of rugby coaching.
She is dressed within the shirt and shorts of her workforce referred to as Tarucas. She can be carrying a sequence with the membership image, which he proudly shows.
“I like taking part in rugby as a result of I’ve associates and since we at all times win,” she tells BBC Mundo by means of a video name, accompanied by her mother and father, Mariella Gosthe and Rodrigo Biskupovic.
Valentina, 22, has Down syndrome.
And though this genetic alteration defines her, there are various different issues that additionally outline her, beginning with a dozen awards that she has collected lately due to her unimaginable sports activities expertise.
Turn out to be a real rugby star in Chile – and one of many solely girls with Down syndrome to follow that sport within the South American nation – she was now acknowledged for her management amongst folks with disabilities.
The award – referred to as “BacanaMente: Ladies with Cognitive Disabilities who Remodel Us” – seeks to make seen the optimistic impression that these girls have on the neighborhood that surrounds them.
And Valentina, definitely, is an efficient instance of this.
Though it’s typically troublesome for him to talk – because of a language dysfunction that is quite common amongst individuals who have Down syndrome – he’s at all times motivating his friends to maneuver ahead and obtain their objectives.
“I inform them: we’re going to win”he says, smiling.
However Valentina wasn’t at all times like this. To get right here, she needed to overcome monumental obstacles.
Right here we let you know his story, by means of his personal voice and that of his mother and father.
Early years
Throughout the 9 months of being pregnant, Mariella by no means knew or imagined that her daughter Valentina had Down syndrome.
The medical doctors They did not anticipate it.
“When he was born, after all the impression was sturdy, it took me a few years to face it as a result of I used to be afraid, nevertheless it was as a result of lack of expertise and ignoranceMariella tells BBC Mundo.
The primary years had been troublesome. Valentina had a tough time strolling till she managed to do it when she was two and a half years outdated.
To stimulate her, they took her to every kind of therapies equivalent to a speech therapist, a kinesiologist or a psychopedagogue.
However none of that made her actually pleased, her mom says.
“She had a really monotonous life. and filled with specialists, completely boring, with out motion. And I hadn’t realized it,” she explains.
Shortly after coming into college, she needed to face a posh episode after the college the place she studied determined to cancel her enrollment, as they didn’t have the assets or enough lecturers to information her.
“Society typically is afraid of incorporating folks with Down syndrome as a result of they dislodge them. But it surely’s simply ignorance as a result of later you notice that they do the identical as the opposite kids, solely somewhat slower,” says Mariella.
Disadvantaged of training, her mother and father managed to discover a appropriate place for her: a college primarily based on the Montessori technique that promoted particular person studying for every pupil.
Little by little Valentina started to blossom.
What entertained him most was play soccer at recess, one thing she at all times did along with her twin brothers, solely a yr older than her.
“My teammates stated I did not play soccer nicely… however since I am a fighter, I needed to study,” Valentina remembers.
That is when his life started to vary.
Her mother and father determined to include her into Magic Andesa Chilean basis the place since 1999 they’ve supplied coaching applications for folks with disabilities.
With them, Valentina went alone for the primary time on the age of 14 to the Portillo ski heart, positioned within the province of Los Andes, in Chile.
It was a workforce of 9 males and her.
“I keep in mind that she got here again completely modified. The journey remodeled her in an excellent sense of the phrase. As a result of she was alone for per week and she or he realized to ski. This made her empowered, feeling far more assured in herself,” says Mariella.
Sportsman of excellence
Little by little, coaches seen her distinctive sporting talents and included her into numerous groups, equivalent to soccer and rugby, fields during which few girls compete.
When she was 18 years outdated, she joined the Tarucas membership the place she at present performs rugby and the place she is rated as a “glorious athlete and a girl who breaks gender stereotypes.”
“I am very quick and I am fortunate,” says Valentina after I ask her how she competes on an equal footing with males.
“Apart from, I’ve extra energy than them,” he provides with a flirtatious look.
Her effort and motivation made her a kind of chosen to attend the World Cup. Combined Means Sports activities (IMAS) rugby in Eire in 2022.
When requested what that have was like, Valentina says that what she remembers most is that “there have been many ladies.” Then, she admits that she wish to have extra companions in her membership.
“I might inform them: come, we’re going to win, with energy and operating very quick. I might additionally inform them that I’ve a good time doing sports activities and that this manner we keep slimmer,” she says, smiling.
Subsequent yr, Valentina will attend the IMAS World Cup once more along with her rugby workforce. This time, the event can be held in Pamplona, Spain.
For her father, Rodrigo Biskupovic, sports activities “have given Valentina an incredible outlet for vanity and empowerment.”
“She units out to do one thing, it really works for her and that validates her. Since she began taking part in sports activities, her persona has turn into increasingly more established. “She empowers herself and isn’t afraid of something,” says.
-Is it true that you’re not afraid of something? I then ask Valentina, who listens to her father attentively.
-It is true. I’ve by no means been afraid of something. I’m a fighter and I can’t quit, reply.
Pals and impartial life
In accordance with Mariella, some of the optimistic issues about Valentina becoming a member of these sports activities golf equipment is that she has met many individuals with disabilities and made associates, one thing that has been key to her growth.
“Our youngsters with disabilities stay very alone since it’s troublesome for them to make associates because of parental mistrust. Valentina now feels a part of a bunch, it has given her a way of belonging,” she signifies.
Valentina agrees. She says that what she likes most (after sports activities) goes out along with her associates.
“I like being with them, going to the films, having events. I like to bop Barry White or Luis Miguel. Additionally sing karaoke,” she says.
At present, the 22-year-old is finding out a diploma in job expertise. There she met her boyfriend, Pedro, who additionally has Down syndrome.
He has just one yr left to graduate.
“Sooner or later, I wish to educate sports activities to kids and adults,” he says.
“I additionally wish to stay alone,” he provides.
His mom, Mariella, says that that is the following step: the start of an impartial life. To do that, she is instructing him easy methods to prepare dinner and do completely different family chores.
“I’m not free from fears of releasing it utterly,” she acknowledges.
“After all it’s complicated, there’s the entire sexual difficulty. However once we let her go to play sports activities, she did so nicely… the good thing about giving them freedom, of letting them actually stay their lives, may be very excessive.”
“Subsequently, to all mother and father of kids with Down syndrome, I might say: dare to free them, nothing goes to occur to them, we have now to arrange them similar to the opposite kids. As a result of we will not hold them locked up all our lives,” she says.
Mariella says that in all these years being Valentina’s mom she has not needed to face too many stigmas or discrimination.
Maybe, she explains, as a result of she at all times accepted her daughter as she was and has at all times believed in her.
“In the event that they ever instructed me that my daughter was not going to have the ability to do one thing, I might inform them: that’s your drawback. My daughter can and I’m pleased that she does it,” she says.
Valentina, for her half, at all times knew that she was born with Down syndrome and is happy with that.
For her, a day like at the moment – March 21 – is nearly as necessary as her birthday. As a result of she is celebrating her day, Down syndrome day, and they’re going to have a celebration at her home.
Valentina will most likely dance Barry White or Luis Miguel, and can proceed repeating what she stated many instances on this interview: who, above all, is a contented individual.
And bear in mind that you would be able to obtain our notifications. Obtain the newest model of the app and activate them so you do not miss our greatest content material.
