First Albanian takes part in London 2012 Paralympics

TIRANA, Aug. 14 – For the first time in the history of its sport, Albania will have a representative competing at London 2012 Paralympic Games, which will open on 29 August. The Albanian National Olympic Committee (NOC) has confirmed that the Albanian paracyclist Haki Doku had been officially registered to take part in this magnificent competition.
For more than a year, the British Council and the Vodafone Foundation have strongly supported Doku’s efforts to represent the country in this very important event. He will go to London to represent his country with dignity and with the aim of demonstrating that physical disability never limits passion and the desire to participate.
Paracyclist Haki Doku is the first Albanian disabled athlete to take part in sporting competitions at home and abroad, and he has achieved good results thanks to years of hard training. Through his results in international qualifying tournaments for London 2012 in Denmark, Italy, Serbia, Slovakia, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Ghana and many other countries, Haki has risen through the rankings to become 20th in the world as a individual, and 42nd in the national ratings. For Haki, participating in the London Paralympic Games is already a dream come true. As the Games approach, he is training ever more intensively for the competition. When he visits Tirana just before the Games, the Albanian Paralympian will share his goals and ambitions for his two races on September 5th and September 7th in London. Over many years, since its beginnings after the Second World War, the Paralympic Games have become an international tradition, following immediately after the Olympics. These Games aim to create public awareness that all people, regardless of their physical or other limitations, can participate actively and on equal terms in all areas of life. Albania organized National Paralympic Games in June 2012, with the support of partners including the British Council, the Albanian Vodafone Foundation and the Albanian Olympic Committee. These games were attended by more than 120 athletes in five sport disciplines, including Haki, who lit the Olympic flame in Tirana during the opening ceremony of these Games.