PORTRAITS OF PARALYMPIAN TRIUMPHS: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY

Kristal Pearl R. Antolin, Danilo G. Baradillo

Abstract


This multiple case study explored the portrait of Paralympic athletes in the Philippines. The success and resilience, navigating challenges and obstacles, and experiences both within and beyond sports of five Paralympic athletes were gathered and examined using in-depth interviews. Triangulation of the data gathered was done in each case by resulting to do in each case by interviewing the Paralympic athletes. It was analyzed using thematic analysis, resulting in eleven emergent themes on their success and resilience: values and resilience through sports, winning motivations in Paralympic games, pride and skills as PWD, transformative power of sports and support, family as core support system, role of spirituality and belief systems, balancing of personal and professional life, training commitment, obtaining positive mindset, embracing setbacks, empowering others through self-growth. The emergent themes for navigating challenges and obstacles included: relying on coaching and exposure, exercising personal initiatives, developing coping strategies, strengthening social interaction and connection, overcoming mental barriers, and managing financial struggles. For the experiences both within and beyond sports: gaining personal growth and transformation, enhancing self-discipline, and pathways to achieve visionary goals. The five cases showed overall similarity in terms of success and resilience as Paralympians. However, in navigating challenges and obstacles, three of the cases had distinct experiences compared to the others. In terms of their experiences both within and outside of sports, there were notable similarities among all five cases.

 

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Keywords


Paralympic athletes, success and resilience, challenges and obstacles, experiences, sports, multiple case studies, Philippines

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejpe.v12i1.5762

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