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Sporting Life
A human Games is always more than just a medal tally
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The Maldives Mohamed Rihan Shiham (left) and Pakistan's Fatima Adnan Lotia may not earn medals at the Asian Games, but that doesn't take away from their accomplishments.
ST PHOTOS: ROHIT BRIJNATH
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Victory isn’t what you think it is. Victory isn’t only podiums, flags, anthems. Victory isn’t fame and autograph hunters. Victory is also a smile. Like the one swimmer Mohamed Rihan Shiham is wearing.
Shiham’s from the Maldives and you’ve never heard his name and won’t recognise his face, but he doesn’t care. The 25m pool he trains in at home, he says, “two days ago they got these diving blocks”. He might be almost a minute slower than the fastest qualifier in the men’s 400 individual medley but he’s grinning.
