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A heart of gold
By S.R. Pathiravithana
May be that god did not bless her with every thing, but Esther Vergeer is a real god's child. This she proved not in words, but in deed that will move any hard heart.

Though she is handicapped, winning comes as a habit to Esther. At the Sydney Olympics Esther won her first Olympic Gold and repeated this effort this time at the Greece Paralympics when she beat her compatriot Sonja Peters.

Recognizing her achievement the Netherlands government gifted her with a special lightweight wheel chair made especially for tennis out of titanium estimated over a million rupees in Sri Lankan money.

Coming from a first world country Esther was not in real need of this gift. But, according coach Jagath Welikala who accompanied the Sri Lankan wheelchair contingent of Berty Silva and Jagath Manatunge - both ex-soldiers who lost their limbs during the battles in the North-East, Esther had seen some promise in the two Lankans. Without any hesitation m/s Vergeer handed over her prize over to the Lankan contingent - an acquisition that they could have only dreamed of.

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