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A Beautiful Ride: HANDCYCLING ASSOCIATION SINGAPORE at Trifactor 2009

Tan Wai Jia

Photos: Micky/HAS

Blue Skies, Stout Hearts: The Handcycling Warriors

When I first saw a handcycle, I was amazed by the brilliant contraption. Little did I know that when I got to know the sportspersons in the handcycles, I would be even more amazed. As I got to know their backgrounds and stories, their determination to overcome life’s challenges and the odds stirred me deeply. I had no idea that within weeks of getting to know these athletes, I would, among many others, be volunteering as an safety-marshal escort for them at the bike segment of Trifactor Race 2009 on the 14th of June.

It was a lovely morning, the air brimming with excitement as the 5 handcyclists prepared themselves for the race ahead. Present at the starting point were Gregory Burns- the former 3-times Gold medal winner of the US Paralympic Swim Team, Ajmal Samuel- the war veteran who resides in Hong Kong, Michael Ngu going for his maiden race, Fung-liang Foo-the President of the Handcycling Association Singapore (HAS) and Asraf Khairul, a young 20 year-old who is still new to handcycling. Having had polio, spinal cord injuries or surgical complications leaving them with disabilities, their determination to turn their experience into a power of discipline and strength, to raise awareness for handcyclists and people with similar stories was both heartening and inspiring.

Being new to road cycling myself and not much of a sportsperson, I was filled with apprehension at the distance to be covered- a good sixty kilometers. I wondered if I had made the right choice to agree to volunteer. “You can do it,” I said to the handcyclists, yet wondering if perhaps I would be the one to fall away. Yet, as I watched the handcyclists pedaling forward with all their might, pushing themselves under the scorching sun, I remembered their life stories of inspiration and hope, and pressed on together with them. Throughout the race, we laughed and pushed ahead, shouting out phrases of encouragement as we raced on, giddy with adrenalin and exhilaration. It seemed too soon when the race finally ended.

Gregory Burns (HC-C), the man whom everyone jokingly says has 3 lungs, finished the race in a stellar timing of in 1hr 57:08min with an average speed of 30.8kmh. Shortly after came Ajmal Samuel (HC-C), who had just suffered a viral infection, Michael Ngu (HC-C), who was still battling jet-lag from an overseas trip, and Fung-liang (HC-B), the man who first introduced me to HAS and their vision to raise awareness of handcycling as a sport to rehabilitate and re-integrate people with disabilities into society. Asraf Khairul (HC-A) made an encouraging debut for his first 20-kilometre race, in spite having done only 4 sessions on a handcycle!

In spite of having taken my time to volunteer as an escort for the handcyclists at Trifactor, I felt I had been more blessed and had received much more from them than I had given. As an able-bodied person, I had often wondered about the role, significance and meaning sports played in my life. By seeing how handcycling had given each of these men a new sense of purpose and focus, inculcating in them a sense of discipline, courage and teamwork, I saw the meaning of sports in its unadulterated, noble form and how it brought out the beauty of the human spirit, indomitable not only in the face of extreme physical exercise, but also in the painful realities and challenges of life.

It was a beautiful ride.

Fung-liang (left) and Anne
Ajmal Samuel
Gregory Burns
Michael Ngu
Asraf Khairul

Credits:
The handcyclists’ entry to Trifactor 2009 was proudly and fully sponsored by “Orange Room”, organizers of the Trifactor race series. To learn more on Handcycling or the HAS log on to http://www.handcycling.sg. The athletes and HAS would like to thank all volunteers who came down that day to support them in one way or another, whether it was helping as a safety-marshal bike escort, cheering them on, taking photographs, or even surprising them with a post-race reception . Meanwhile, they are looking forward to participating in the Trifactor Triathlon on 13 September 2009 and will be training hard till then!

(The author is a 4th year medical student at National University of Singapore and a volunteer with Handcycling Association Singapore)