Hesron Kapanga
Wheelchair cyclists Roodley Gowaseb and Nico Kharaxub want to participate in multiple competitions and qualify for the upcoming 2024 Kobe International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics Grand Prix.
Kobe in Japan, will host the 11th edition of the Para Athletics World Championships from 17 to 25 May 2024, with more than 1 000 athletes from more than 100 nations set to compete in 171 medal events (93 males, 77 females, and one mixed).
Although they dream of competing at this year’s world championships, Gowaseb told Nampa on Wednesday that they need wheelchair racing tyres.
“We plan to compete in several upcoming competitions, with the first event set for 27 January 2024 in Swakopmund. We have a time limit until April to qualify for the IPC World Para Athletics Championships,” he said.
Gowaseb said for them to make their goals possible, they are appealing to good Samaritans to help them buy wheelchair cycling tyres.
“We currently have only one pair of tyres, which we use for training and competitions, but they are worn out, and cannot give good times in competitions,” he said adding that because they are unemployed, they cannot buy these wheelchair tyres themselves.
The 10 000-metre, 5 000-metre, and 1 500-metre racer, who once competed at the IPC Grand Prix in 2019, said he has set himself a goal of one day representing the country at the Paralympic Games, but this can only happen if he has the right equipment.
“We require 10 pairs of tyres to make our lives easier. We currently possess only one pair, which we use for training and competition.
A wheelchair tyre costs N$1 200, hence our appeal to good Samaritans to help us,” said Gowaseb.
Gowaseb said, with his worn-out tyres and uneven wheels, he managed to clock 13 minutes in a 5 000m race, but with new wheels, he is confident 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 not financially able to assist the athletes after a hectic 2023 season that saw them competing in multiple competitions in different sport codes.
– Nampa