Pieter du Preez prepares for the SunSmart Ironman Western Australia. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
DOING a marathon is tough. Doing it in a wheelchair is tougher. Doing it in a wheelchair with an arm broken less than six weeks ago should be impossible.
But quadriplegic Pieter du Preez plans to challenge his athletic limits by not just doing a marathon in a wheelchair with a broken arm but doing it straight after swimming 3.8km and riding 180km on a hand cycle.
Du Preez's quest to become the first quadriplegic to complete an ironman triathlon in Busselton, Western Australia, on Sunday got a little tougher when he broke his arm while training for the event.
But instead of putting his plans on ice, the South African who is virtually paralysed from the chest down has decided to forge ahead with his historic quest on Sunday .
"I'm getting nervous but at the same time I cannot wait," he said. A C6 quadriplegic who cannot move his legs, truck, triceps or fingers after being hit by a car while riding to see a chiropractor for a race a decade ago, du Preez transformed himself into a Paralympic standard hand cyclist _ a form of transport her will use to cover the gruelling 180km cycle.
The 42.2km run leg he will cover in a wheelchair despite one of his arms being weakened by the recent break.
Du Preez said while he is unlikely to produce the performance he wanted in the gruelling event, he still believes he can defy the odds and become the first quadriplegic to finish an ironman triathlon.
"I am still going to give it a go, although the odds are now against me to make those cut offs, but I believe I can," du Preez said.
"It means I will probably have to push with one arm in the marathon. "I am a professional athlete so obviously I won't do the time I would have liked now but I want to be the first quadriplegic in the world to do this.
Du Preez said he is tackling the race to inspire others. The South African is one of three men on a mission this weekend with Australians Rob Paterson, in a wheelchair, and Brant Garvey, a below-the-knee amputee, also racing.
Garvey is hoping he will also race into history as the first above-the-knee amputee to complete a ironman triathlon.
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