Mr. Jakub Krako and Ms. Petra Smarzova, Slovak Paralympic Athletes, visit EISB
On Monday, February 13, 2023, we received two special visitors: Mr. Jakub Krako and Ms. Petra Smarzova, Slovak Paralympic Athletes. Primary had a great day filled with several learning opportunities.
As an introduction, our Paralympic experience began in the PE classes preceding the event with the viewing of a short video called “Super. Human“, which shows a Paralympic athlete’s daily life and the barriers that, sadly, exist. After the video, the students reflected on several everyday routines that are particularly difficult for people with disabilities, such as gaining access to certain buildings.
Following that, the students performed various activities similar to various Paralympic sports. We practiced adaptations of Paralympic basketball, One-Legged Run, and vision-impaired games, for example. It was certainly fascinating to observe how the children handled these games, seeking answers to their problems.
- After the introduction to the Paralympics, the day of Ms. Petra and Mr. Jakub’s visit arrived.
Mr. Jakub Krako, a Paralympic skier who has represented Slovakia several times and has won 10 Paralympic medals, five of which are gold, opened the event. He presented his experiences in a video called We’re The Superhumans, which showed life as a Paralympic athlete.
Following that, he provided a brief history of the Paralympic Games, including how and why they were created, the many categories, and the present condition. Immediately after, the Paralympic athlete shared his personal narrative, including why he wanted to become a Paralympic athlete, his relationship with sports, and some lessons learned through sports practice. He also described what professional skiing is like for a visually impaired person, including his/her guide’s assistance, particular safety rules, and specialized equipment.
Finally, Mr. Jakub addressed the many questions asked by the students. The children inquired about his skiing performance, how he approaches daily activities, and a variety of other curious questions, safety standards, as well as specific equipment.
Following Mr. Jakub Krako’s presentation, Ms. Petra Smarzova took the stage. Ms. Petra is a Paralympic skier who has competed in international events for the Slovak Paralympic Committee. She has two Paralympic medals to her name.
Her participation began with her personal story. She described how she has always been involved in sports at different phases of her life. She also highlighted the advantages that sports has provided for her, most notably the friendships she has built with people from Slovakia and other nations. Mr. Jakub Krako’s friendship is one of these, since the two athletes have been friends since they were kids. The presentation continued with the introduction of his sky performance and what special equipment he uses to reach his potential. To finish, the students shared their concerns with Ms. Petra, who answered her questions.
The act concluded with the students handing out some gifts. Each class made a poster to thank them for visiting EISB. They also got to meet the athletes and take photographs with them.
EISB would like to thank Mr. Jakub Krako and Ms. Petra Smarzova for visiting our school, sharing their experiences, and demonstrating the potential that sport has to help build a better society. Thank you a lot.
Click here to watch the video of the event on our Youtube Channel:
