6
INSPIRING STORIES Never Give Up …
Inspiring Lives Beyond Services
Story contributed by Grace Orchard School
At the age of 10 , Haziq started attending GOS . At first , he did not realise that GOS was not like other mainstream schools . Later on , when he did find out , he wondered why he was different . However , it was in GOS that Haziq was selected for the track , running in athletics competitions . It gave him an opportunity to learn and excel in something new . Today , Haziq feels that a person with special needs is no different from others . He states , “ All are the same and can do the same as what others can . What other people can do , people with special needs can do the same thing .”
When he started running , Haziq experienced many failures but he never gave up . He continued to persevere while training with the Singapore team . Despite how it tired him , he did not give up and he continued to travel a significant distance from his home to the training venue in Bishan , twice a week on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings . He mentioned , “ I sleep early and rest well in order to juggle between my training and school commitments .”
“ Concentrate … focus … Never give up when you fail , try again and again !”
M uhammad
Haziq Bin Ibrahim is a shy 15-year old who used to attend Grace Orchard School ( GOS ) from January 2010 to December 2015 . After graduating from GOS , he was promoted to Assumption Pathway School ( APS ) and is studying English , Math , Electrical and Plumbing , and Facility Services . He has represented Singapore and won medals in national and international athletics competitions in 100m , 200m and 400m running events .
In 2015 , Haziq competed in the Special Olympics in Los Angeles as part of the Singapore team . It was not just a fun , happy and exciting experience , but also the first time he travelled in an aeroplane . Even though the environment and weather were different from what he was used to , Haziq took it in his stride and said , “ I just do what I can .” He won two silver medals in 100m and 200m ( Athletics ) and was awarded a participation ribbon in 4 x 100m Relay ( Athletics ).
Haziq is the second of 10 siblings . He has five sisters and four brothers and is closest to his older and third sister . His family has given him a lot of encouragement , including his extended families like his aunties , uncles , and cousins who came to support him during the ASEAN Para Games .