Tunisian athletes gear up for Paris Paralympics

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00:00Wheelchair race athletes go through their checklist once more ahead of the Paris Paralympics.

00:11Among them are five-time gold medalist and world champion Waleed Qatila, and newcomers

00:16like Mohamed Nidal Khalifi.

00:18He has an injured spine, but after a decade of fierce training, he hopes to win a medal

00:22in the 400 meter.

00:23What do we do?

00:26We laugh and enjoy ourselves and divide the work among ourselves, so we're happy with

00:31our training and let go of the stress from the streets, from our homes, from everything.

00:38Despite the many medals won by its para-athletes, wheelchair sports still do not have a large

00:42following in Tunisia.

00:45I meet regular people as well as educated people, even officials who consider para-athletics

00:51easy.

00:52No, it's something very difficult.

00:54Training athletes also require a very specific kit that can be hard to come by.

01:00The materials are very expensive.

01:02There are sports played with prostheses, like racing, which we can't develop here because

01:06it's too expensive.

01:07I can't even consider it as a coach.

01:11Already wheelchair racing, it's not easy for us.

01:14At a minimum, one chair costs $5,000.

01:20But athletes remain committed.

01:24Shot put fans are putting their hopes on Ahmed Ben Mosleh, who won silver at the 2020 Tokyo

01:29Paralympics.

01:32Preparations have gone well, thank God.

01:36God willing, I'll win the gold and come home with the gold.

01:40Fathia Maima also hopes to bring home gold in the discus.

01:45I'm someone who believes determination is stronger than anything else.

01:49If you have strong determination, you can overcome all your challenges, God willing.

01:54At the last Paralympics, Tunisia ranked first among African and Arab countries with a record

01:5811 medals.

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