Living with a disability may be seen as a major setback, but some don’t let it keep them from living life to the fullest.
That was certainly the case for a boy in Malaysia who recently completed a 100m school race despite having only one leg.
Although the four runners he was competing against sped ahead of him almost immediately, the young boy was undeterred and continued running on crutches — all the way to the finish line.
Source: TikTok
His admirable feat was made all the more touching by the sight of his teacher cheering him on the whole way by running next to him.
The boy’s achievement went viral after a spectator shared a TikTok video of the inspiring moment.
@faridkamaruddin18 Aku tahu kau orang paling kuat dik. Terima kaseh cikgu bagi sokongan sehingga ke penamat. #luarbiasa #ppki #fyp ♬ Jangan Pernah Menyerah – Arnas19🐱
In the 48-second clip, the boy and his four competitors are seen kneeling at the starting line before speeding off.
As soon as the starting pistol goes off, his four competitors — who all have two legs — run ahead, leaving the boy to hobble behind on crutches.
Despite knowing that victory is out of reach, the boy determinedly charges ahead as fast as he can.
Throughout all this, he is accompanied by his teacher, who runs alongside him until he reaches the finish line.
She even makes an effort to jog at the same speed as him despite having both her legs.
Source: TikTok
Addressing the boy, the OP, a man named Farid Kamaruddin, said via his caption that he knows he is the strongest.
He also thanked the boy’s teacher for supporting him until the end.
Since it was posted last week (24 Aug), the video has garnered over 631,000 views and caught the attention of various Malaysian news outlets.
In an interview with Harian Metro, the 11-year-old boy, whose name is Muhammad Aqil, said he has always been active in sports, especially football.
He decided to take part in the race for the first time following the encouragement of his teacher, Intan Zulaikha Jusoh.
Source: Harian Metro
Prior to the race, Aqil practised for four days. As it was his first time competing, he felt embarrassed to be standing next to his fellow runners.
Along the way, his pants even nearly slipped off, he recalled. Nonetheless, he kept on running as he was intent on finishing the race no matter what happened.
Winning appeared to be secondary for Aqil as he was simply relieved and in disbelief that he managed to make it to the finish line.
He was especially happy when his teacher came forward to congratulate him.
Aqil was only three years old when he lost his leg back in 2015. He had contracted a bacterial infection and had no choice but to have it amputated.
He has also had to overcome the loss of his father, who passed away two years ago.
Source: Harian Metro
In spite of all the setbacks, Aqil has evidently kept up a positive attitude and maintained a keen interest in sports.
If the opportunity to take part in another school race arises, Aqil said he is ready to participate.
Meanwhile, his teacher Ms Zulaikha expressed that she is proud of his determination and spirit.
She also mentioned that she did not put any pressure on him to win as she only wanted him to join an activity and bring him out.
Additionally, she decided to run alongside him to give him moral support and to make him feel less alone since the other boys had already raced past him.
Sometimes, attitude matters as much as — if not more than — natural talent.
Although there will be more barriers ahead, we have no doubt that Aqil can overcome them with his sheer strength of will.
Here’s to more progress and success in his athletic journey.
Also read: Paralysed M’sia Man Fixes Motorcycles From Bed, Being A Mechanic Is His True Passion
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Featured image adapted from TikTok.
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