Rain didn’t stop differently-abled persons in Outeniqua Chair Challenge

On Saturday, 15 October 2022, 12 members of the Overstrand Association for People with Disabilities (OAPD) team took part in the Outeniqua Chair Challenge (OCC) in George.

The OCC is a unique wheelchair race exclusively for the differently abled. Athletes from all nine provinces as well as from Namibia and Zimbabwe competed. Athletes took part in wheelchairs, adapted bicycles, hand cycles, basketball chairs and ordinary wheelchairs. Routes included a 42.2km marathon and 21.1km half-marathon, as well as 10km and 5km races.

Paralympic Games gold medallist Pieter "Supa Piet" du Preez competed alongside veteran Stuart McCreadie and World Cup gold medallist Justine Asher in this year’s race. Pieter du Preez is the first quadriplegic athlete to complete an Ironman and in September 2021 won a hand cycling gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. Radio personality, Martelize Brink, took part in the fun run.

Desireé Gelderblom of OAPD said that the event was indeed enjoyable despite the rain. “It was great to see approximately 1 000 wheelchairs and hand-cyclists gathering again after a long time of pandemic lockdown.

She thanked the Overstrand Municipality and QuadPara Association for their support in getting the team there.