For Linard Sultan, the absence of his right foot was never a hindrance to winning a gold medal for Samar State University (SSU). Sultan always knew that he could do more than his physical condition is concerned; he knew he could be good at something, and it is being an ace on the ping pong arena.
Sultan is a 20-year-old student in his sophomore year. He had been playing table tennis since his senior year in high school when his best friend taught him how to play the indoor game. He enjoyed playing it for the sake of ‘fitting in’. However, leisure soon became a platform where people could finally see his skills rather than his disability.
Diagnosed with an orthopedic birth defect, Linard kept running towards his dream with a prosthetic leg aiding him along the way. According to him, it did not make him less of a person. Instead, it gave him the push to be an inspiration to the world that neither an amputation nor other’s perception could hinder a man with a dream.
Impossible as it may seem, Linard stood out on a sport where a lot of footwork needs to be done to win a game. A high-speed play and rapid exchanges happen during a table tennis game and the right foot movement will have well coordination with one’s serves and strokes. Therefore, one will not win a single set without a good conformity of the leg movement. However, an amputated leg supported with a prosthetic one gained Sultan a spot on the nationals and far surpassed these compulsory foot movements.
Sultan underlined his status as the region’s number one table tennis singles player this year as he defeated fellow SCUAA player from Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) to win the men’s singles title at the SCUAA VIII Tennis Championships in Biliran Province State University (BiPSU).
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