By Confidence Musariri Windhoek For many Namibians based in the North, it was no surprise that paraplegic Frans ‘Tupac’Paulus managed to complete the 30km cycling distance of the 20th edition of the NedBank Cycle Tour. New Era has discovered that the athlete is more than just a paraplegic seeking national recognition, but a multi-sport athlete driven to push his outermost limits with limited resources. The sight of a wheelchair-bound man racing down the Ondangwa-Oshakati highway has become a regular one. This is the untold story of one of the country’s unearthed talents. At 26, Frans ‘Tupac’Paulus says he was born an athlete and had it not been for a motorcar accident 13 years ago, he could have been one of Namibia’s top sports personalities. Paulus rose head and shoulders above hundreds of able-bodied cyclists as he completed the race in 2 hours 21minutes. “I used the race to expose myself because I have been training hard but since there are no competitions of this nature for the paraplegic I decided to include myself in the NedBank tour since I always failed to prove my worthiness to people around me,” he said in an exclusive interview with New Era. Paulus has never competed in any international event but has spent half of his life practising to win gold, “since sports was the only thing left in my blood.” He lost both legs in an accident at the age of 13 and was forced out of school before completing his grade five studies. He told New Era that sport has given him the increased energy levels necessary to help cope with the daily grind and frustration of life in a wheelchair. After months of trial and error with his customized wheelchair, Paulus today boasts of completing the 75km journey between Oshakati and Okahao (the birth place of founding president, Dr Sam Nujoma) in 5hours 23 minutes. Had enough innovative racing gear been provided, Paulus says he could have raced the whole 70km of the NedBank Cycle Tour. “I have to be cautious with my resources since they are limited,” he says pointing at his custom-made racing wheelchair which he says does not have spare parts. His debut international assignment will be in July when the national All Africa Games squad travels to Algeria. However, Tupac’s trainng schedule has been hard hit of late. He now only frequents the Oshakati-Ondangwa stretch twice a week as the wheelchair is slowly wearing out. “The other reason I have reduced my marathon training sessions to Wednesdays and Sundays, is that on Sundays traffic is limited since most motorists do not seem to observe me on the road,” he points out. The wheelchair spare parts are only available in South Africa and Namdeb has played a key role in facilitating Paulus’racing gear, according Elikana Grun Nghimwena, Chairperson of MU Africa, an Oshakati distribution company that is helping Paulus storm the world. The wheelchair has been essentially designed for someone paralysed from the mid-thoracic region down and Paulus says though not the best of technology, it can attach to a standard rowing machine. His only fear is that his opponents at the All Africa Games might use well advanced equipment but maintains that he will give it his all. Paraplegic athletes especially at the Olympic Games use wheelchairs that improve their peripheral blood flow, which helps them to avoid deep vein thrombosis. “Before I got this special wheelchair last October, I used to practise with the normal hospital wheelchairs and this gave me a lot of sicknesses but I am past that phase now and raring to take on new challenges,” says an unfazed Paulus. Hospital wheelchairs are not meant for racing as they provide an alternate stress to the shoulder. The result has seen Paulus improve his upper posture due to the overuse of the wheeling motion in the normal wheelchair. His new wheelchair helps to improve cardiac function and helps to maintain bone mass. Paulus’ current record is 4 mins 29 seconds in the indoor 1500 metres which he has set for himself during his indoor training sessions at Oshakati Independence Stadium. “I want to be a champ, there is nothing more for me to live for than being a champion and I know if I get the necessary resources before the All Africa Games, I will bring the gold home – that is my desire. From there, the nation will never forget that I once lived,” he says in his halting English. Paulus is not bothered by the fact that he did not receive any monetary prize from the sponsors NedBank except from one local company which extended its N$250 for his completion of the race. A member of the Oshana Heroes Sports Club for people with disabilities, Tupac is currently based at the Oshakati State Hospital and is a leading member of the institution’s basketball team for the disabled. “I used to be a basketball and soccer player,” he recounts his teenage career. As other established sportspersons in the country such as Agnes Samaria, Frank Puriza, Silpa Tjingaete and Helaria Johannes brace up for the All Africa Games, team member Frans Paulus, remains confident that, if everyone faces the world with different abilities and disabilities, everyone has at least one goal in commonÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ÂÂÂÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ÂÂÂÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚…to go Beyond the Barriers.