Navin323i
Practically Family
- Messages
- 770
- Location
- Maryland, USA
Greetings Gents!!!
It's been so long since I last posted and for once it has nothing to do with any health issue (for those who don't know me, I was born with heart condition that required 5 major open heart surgeries over the past 41 years, none of which I was expected to survive but I defied the odds with a positive attitude and a whole lot of luck, and I was diagnosed 2 years ago with Parkinson's Disease).
Gents... it's my distinct honor and privilege to inform you all that in a week and a half, I will be making history as I travel to Barcelona, Spain to represent the USA in international table tennis competition as part of the Paralympic program. I will become the first Parkinson's athlete in history to compete at this high level.
A year ago I got back into table tennis (I started playing at the age of 4 thanks to my dad and played off and on over the years winning the occasional recreational tournament or two) and got really good really fast thanks to a hall of fame coach that believed in me and took me under his wing.
Table tennis has saved my life and has improved both my heart and Parkinson's as you'll see in the link below to a short 9 minute film documentary done on me by a professional filmmaker who saw my story online...
http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis/Features/2015/February/01/The-Bionic-Man-Navin-Kumar
Attached are the pics of my team jacket, and while it doesn't compare much to the awesome vintage leather jackets we all normally see here, the jacket is special to me as it represents the hard work with 6 days a week training with coach, other players and even a robot.
While I hope to win the gold medal, in all honesty, the honor of representing the USA and the honor of representing Parkinson's patients worldwide... that is the "true gold medal" for me.
This will be my first ever visit to Barcelona as well as my first ever visit to Spain period. I am so excited and I will definitely look for a nice leather jacket while I'm there.
I play table tennis for my continued survival and I play to inspire people to play table tennis for the great health benefits it offers. I'm so grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity... thank you all.
It's been so long since I last posted and for once it has nothing to do with any health issue (for those who don't know me, I was born with heart condition that required 5 major open heart surgeries over the past 41 years, none of which I was expected to survive but I defied the odds with a positive attitude and a whole lot of luck, and I was diagnosed 2 years ago with Parkinson's Disease).
Gents... it's my distinct honor and privilege to inform you all that in a week and a half, I will be making history as I travel to Barcelona, Spain to represent the USA in international table tennis competition as part of the Paralympic program. I will become the first Parkinson's athlete in history to compete at this high level.
A year ago I got back into table tennis (I started playing at the age of 4 thanks to my dad and played off and on over the years winning the occasional recreational tournament or two) and got really good really fast thanks to a hall of fame coach that believed in me and took me under his wing.
Table tennis has saved my life and has improved both my heart and Parkinson's as you'll see in the link below to a short 9 minute film documentary done on me by a professional filmmaker who saw my story online...
http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis/Features/2015/February/01/The-Bionic-Man-Navin-Kumar
Attached are the pics of my team jacket, and while it doesn't compare much to the awesome vintage leather jackets we all normally see here, the jacket is special to me as it represents the hard work with 6 days a week training with coach, other players and even a robot.
While I hope to win the gold medal, in all honesty, the honor of representing the USA and the honor of representing Parkinson's patients worldwide... that is the "true gold medal" for me.
This will be my first ever visit to Barcelona as well as my first ever visit to Spain period. I am so excited and I will definitely look for a nice leather jacket while I'm there.
I play table tennis for my continued survival and I play to inspire people to play table tennis for the great health benefits it offers. I'm so grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity... thank you all.
