Athlete gets medal before baby

2005-12-21 10:12

Bangkok - A disabled Thai athlete gave birth to a baby girl two days after winning a gold medal in the discus event at the Asian ParaGames in Manila, officials said on Wednesday.

Wanna Ladee, 22, said she didn't tell anyone about her pregnancy because she was in desperate need of money for her newborn.

Wanna, whose right leg is crippled, complained to sports officials last Monday of stomach pains and was rushed to a hospital in Manila where she delivered a healthy child, said Jaturaporn na Nakorn, deputy director of the Sports Authority of Thailand.

"I was stunned and speechless when I was informed by the Thai sports staff that our athlete gave birth to a child only two days after she won the gold medal," Jaturaporn told reporters.

Wanna will receive a 50 000 baht (about R7 800) reward for winning a gold medal in the discus as well as a bronze in the shot put event, Jaturaporn said.

Wanna was among 164 Thai athletes taking part in the December 14-20 games for disabled that followed the Southeast Asian Games in the Philippine capital. More than 1 000 disabled athletes from 11 countries participated in the ParaGames.

"I did not tell anyone about my pregnancy because I needed the reward money for my coming child," Wanna told a Thai radio station interviewing her at the hospital.

The Sports Authority of Thailand is to investigate how officials allowed the eight-month pregnant woman to take part in the games and also blamed the host country for not conducting dope tests from her urine which would have detected her condition.

- AP