Paraplegic cyclists to take on Momentum Cycle Challenge
Paraplegic cyclist Palesa Manaleng to take on Momentum Cycle Challenge this weekend.
Palesa Manaleng will rise against all odds to participate in her first ever Momentum 947 Cycle Challenge as South Africa commemorates National Disability Rights Awareness Month.
The 28-year-old was involved in a cycling accident last year which left her paralysed from her waist down.
Fourteen months after her accident, Palesa will now ride in the Momentum 947 Cycle Challenge this weekend.
The event attracts more than 33 000 participants from all walks of life each cycling 94.7km through the streets of Johannesburg.
Prior to the accident, Palesa was an avid cyclist and cycled from Westdene to Roodepoort, Soweto and Krugersdorp to test her endurance.
At the time of the accident, Palesa was on a short ride around her neighborhood but her brakes failed on a steep downhill and she ploughed into a palisade fence, and among other injuries, dislocated the spine.
She was in hospital for three months and lost the journalism job she has just started a few weeks before.
“I was lying on my bed at the Rehab Hospital and I was watching the Cycling Challenge and for the first time after my accident I was excited about something,” said Palesa.
Palesa reached out to many people and organisations to try to help her to take her life back and continue to do what makes her happy, cycling.
The Cycle Challenge’s organisers heard about her story and have sponsored Palesa with a hand-cycle as well as cycling kit, training assistance and ongoing support.
The Tintswalo Property Group has also come on board and sponsored R25 000 and Cycle Lab has provided free maintenance to the hand-cycle and have sponsored all Palesa’s supplements.
During the course of this year, Palesa has progressed rapidly from completing her first race, the 45-kilometre Powerade Cycle Race, then she rode the 64-kilometre Vortex Cycle Challenge, before participating in the Meals on Wheels race which was 90 kilometres.
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