Sector Vice President Isabel Iturria exalts heroes of the 18K in wheelchairs in Caracas

This Saturday of Holy Week was not only one of religious recollection, but also of a collective celebration for life and peace. On Paseo Los Próceres, the Mayor's Office of Caracas and the Government of the Capital District organized the traditional 18K Race for Peace, a day that brought together hundreds of athletes, including the participation of a group of disabled athletes who traveled the circuit in wheelchairs.

The Sectorial Vice President of Health, Ecosocialism, Science and Technology, Isabel Iturria, was present there, who spared no praise for these true examples of unwavering will, whom she saw moving kilometer by kilometer on wheels as the clearest proof that “special capacity” is not in the limitation, but in the heart.

“You demonstrate a special ability to travel distances on wheels that for others represent a major challenge,” he said during an interview with the Children's Cardiology Community Radio 88.9 FM, making it clear that adapted sports are a flag of dignity that the State must continue to support.

The experienced athlete Jesús Aguilar, with 40 years of experience in adapted sports, put into words what many felt on the asphalt, and sent an accurate message: “We make the same effort and do the same activities as any conventional athlete”.

With that simple but powerful phrase, the runner called for equal conditions and recalled that discipline is the weapon they have used to demonstrate that they are an active and integral part of this society, fighting for highly competitive sports to be increasingly inclusive.

Despite the high demands of an 18-kilometer route, the mood of the participants was a separate spectacle. Vice President Iturria highlighted her admiration when she saw them cross with a smile, despite the wear and tear. “It feels good and looks better, with a smile after having driven all these kilometers, with joy and with the desire to move forward in this beautiful country that we all live in,” he concluded.

The day, which ended without incident and with a highly positive result, was not only an organizational success, but also a reminder of the role of the Venezuelan State in the massification of sports.