Wheelchair cyclists aiming for world champs this year

Wheelchair cyclists Roodley Gowaseb and Nico Kharaxub are aiming to compete in multiple competitions and earn qualification spots for the upcoming Kobe International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics Grand Prix in 2024.

Kobe, Japan, will host the 11th edition of the Para Athletics World Championships from 17 to 25 May 2024, with over 1 000 athletes from more than 100 nations set to compete in 171 medal events.

Gowaseb however told Nampa on Wednesday that they need wheelchair racing wheels to realise their dreams of competing in this year’s world championships.

“We plan to compete in several competitions, with the first event taking place on 27 January 2024 in Swakopmund. We have a time limit until April to qualify for the upcoming IPC World Para Athletics Championships,” he said.

Gowaseb called on good Samaritans to help them buy wheelchair cycling tyres.

“We currently only have one pair of tyres which we are using for training and competition, and with them being worn out, they cannot give good times in competitions,” he said, adding that because they are unemployed, they are not able to purchase these tyres themselves.

The 10 000 metre (m), 5 000m, and 1 500m racer, who competed in the IPC Grand Prix in 2019, said he has set himself a goal of one day representing the country at the Paralympic Games, but that can only become possible if he has the right equipment.

“We require 10 pairs of tyres to make our lives easier. A wheelchair tyre goes for N.dollars 1 200, so we are calling on good Samaritans to help us,” said Gowaseb.

Gowaseb stated that, in the past, with his worn-out tyres and uneven wheels, he managed to clock 13 minutes in the 5 000m race, but with new wheels on his wheelchair, he is hopeful of reaching the World Para Athletics Championship qualification time of 10 minutes.

Namibia Paralympic Committee (NPC) Secretary General, Michael Hamukwaya, told this agency that the NPC is currently not financially able to purchase tyres for the athletes after a busy 2023 season that saw them competing in multiple sporting competitions.

(NAMPA)
HK/AS
(NAMPA)