The brothers, Fjolnir and Hilmir are from Grindavik, a town nearby Keflavik airport, the international airport in Iceland.
They two brothers have been best friends since birth, helping each other in daily life. In sport they are working together as a team. Fjölnir and Hilmir were interviewed as athletes, participating in a video project produced in may for SO Iceland and the Norway Grant project; Working together for an Inclusive Europe & Inclusion Through sport.
Hilmir has down syndrom but his disability has never been a barrier in sport, as his parents have highlighted sport participation for him as for his 4 brothers.
In the communtiy of Grindavik, he has been able to join mainstreaming sport with his brother and this has affected his social and physical skills a lot.
The basketball project for Special Olympics athletes & siblings and friends has been a great success. This project with focus on inclusion in sport is established within Basketball club Haukar, in Hafnarfjordur. Coaches from Basketball club Haukar are working for SO Iceland & Norway Grant project 2021 – 2023 where they are testing the Youth Develpment Sport Guide with focus on inclusion.
Girls and boys from 6 years old are meeting up each Saturday to play and have fun. Their mother Solny Palsdottir, tells us that through sport and early intervention, Hilmir has got the strenght he has today. She believes that inclusion in sport and the cooperation of these two brothers, in daily life and sport has been very important for both of them, learning process for each one.
The project is a blessing for her two boys she says and and for the familiy the focus on inclusion has been the key of success for their family.
People watching Hilmir, playing basketball and football are surprise to see his physical skills. He is a role model, he teach us that if a children will get good training, opportunity to learn and grow from other similar age and if focus is on early intervention in physical training, the outcome will be good.
Today the daily life of the brothers are a little bit different. Outside their bedrooms window, they can watch the power of nature, a colourful volcano. Since 19. march 2021 thousands of people have been visiting the area of Fagradalsfjall to watch the volcano. Fjölnir has been at the spot several times, he loves walking tours towards the volcano in the evening with his parents. Hilmir just watch from home and don´t want to join the walking tours.