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Inspirational ‘Supa Piet’ takes to the road in a quest for a ‘world-first’
Johannesburg, 7 March 2013- To some people Pieter ‘Supa Piet’ du Preez is an athlete who is
about to attempt a world first. At work, he is the person who most know as a talented
actuarial analyst, a team member who puts in the required hours every day. He is a person
who has not allowed misfortune to force him to take a ‘back seat’, or dampen his enthusiasm
and passion to achieve in all spheres of his life.
Pieter sits in his wheelchair and his eyes light up as he talks about his ambition to take part in
the Half Iron-Man event in Australia. By completing the 1.9 kilometer swim, 90 kilometer
cycle and 21.1 kilometer run (push, in his case) he will be fulfilling a personal ambition of
becoming the first C6 quadriplegic athlete, to complete what is one of the most demanding
events in any sports calendar. What’s more, he has to do everything required of him within
the 7.5hours cut-off time set for able-bodied athletes.
As a ‘C6’ qaudaraplegic, he faces the Half Iron Man event with the knowledge that he only
has head, shoulder, limited arm function and no hand or finger movement. Most of his
strength comes from his biceps and shoulders. He must, however, contend with complete
paralysis of his body and legs.
Taking part in the Busselton 70.3 event (outside Perth, Australia) in Pieter’s case required
more than just popping in an entry form and pitching up. His participation, he says, required
that the organisers allow him to be assisted at various points along the course.
His challenges will include having someone swim behind him to ‘tap’ his legs so that he can
maintain direction in the sea swim. The reason, he says, is that because his triceps muscles
don’t function, he can’t swim crawl like able-bodied competitors. His preferred stroke is a
‘double-armed backstroke’.
Getting out of the water and into his specially adapted bike, in which he is slung from the
frame in a sling, also requires assistance. In addition, he is allowed to have two people
helping him in the transition area between legs of the race.
From then on, he has to rely on sheer ‘ biceps and shoulder power’ to propel himself the
remaining 111.1 kilometers of the event. Assistance on the road will require the usual drinks
and, in Pieter’s case, a drenching from a bucket of water to cool him down. Because of the
nature of his disability, he doesn’t sweat so there is a real danger that without a regular
watering down, his body will overheat.
When he talks, it’s hard not be simply overwhelmed when thinking about the planning,
logistics, correspondence and plain hard training that are involved in achieving his ambition.
What also has to be factored into the mix is getting in to work every day and working as an
actuarial analyst at Deloitte in Woodmead, Johannesburg.
Why go through all this to compete in a race?
The answer lies in Pieter’s approach to life. He has a strong faith, a competitive spirit, a
passion for his sport and simply isn’t a person who is prepared to compromise.
“Triathlon’s and sport for me are lifestyles. I believe that whatever you do, there is at least
one person looking up at you. I believed this before my accident and do so now, more than
ever before. With this belief in challenges and the strength of the human spirit, goes a similar
outlook on life.”
“I have been given an opportunity to do what most people would consider are impossible
things. By doing them, I believe that I am encouraging others to tackle what they believe is
impossible.”
Pieter was 23-years-old and contemplating becoming a professional triathlete, when a car
turned across his path in Johannesburg, sending him flying from his bike. He knew he was in
trouble, he says when, while lying on the tarmac, he realised that something was wrong with
his neck. By the time he reached hospital he was fighting to breathe.
He smiles ruefully as he recalls that he was on his way to the chiropractor when the accident
occurred. “I had a hamstring injury and was on my way to get my spine aligned, when the car
hit me and put it totally out of alignment,” he says.
A medically-induced coma and long rehabilitation followed. Through it all, says Pieter, he
knew he was going to be fine. “It was grace from God above,” he explains simply, “before
the accident; I believed that if my legs didn’t work my life would be over.”
“After the accident, it was a matter of guess what? I can’t move my legs, my fingers or my
arms. It was simply never an issue. My body was injured. Pieter du Preez wasn’t injured a bit.
In fact, I learned such a lot. I got so much stronger in terms of what and who Pieter is. There
was no line between my life before the accident and my life after the accident.”
“I want a picture done for home, one of all three Triathlon sports. It will show me in the
background running, but running into my racing chair. For me, I have been living one
continuous life; there is no line saying before and after. I am still running, although in a
different way.”
Pieter responds to the question about what has changed in his life by appropriately turning to
a race analogy. “I used to be always in front,” he says. “I made the South African ‘under 23’
Triathlon team, South African Student’s cycling team. When I competed in events after the
accident it was weird to me to be a back-straggler. I learned what it was like to be at the back
of the race where people encourage each other-something which doesn’t happen at the front
of the field.”
“When it comes to disability, I have learned a lot. I know that I have to break the ice because
people sometimes don’t know how to deal with me.”
“My knowledge and understanding of the human spirit has increased. I am living a fuller life
because I am seeing so much more of life. Material things have no significance.”
“In short, I wouldn’t change anything for the world.”
Ten years after the event that had had taken just a few seconds, but left him as a C6
quadriplegic, Pieter is known to his friends and colleagues at Deloitte as ‘Supa Piet’ and even
has a t-shirt to prove his claim.
Behind him and supporting her husband all the way is Pieter’s wife, Illse, an occupational
therapist who met Pieter when she was one of a party of friends who visited him in hospital.
Married to Pieter in 2008, she will be accompanying him on his mission to enter the record
books by completing his event in Australia.
But, for the man who has achieved so much, there is still one major challenge ahead. Pieter
also has an inherited genetic eye problem , and has already started losing his sight. Being
quadriplegic has sped up the process. Even though there are exciting developments in
stopping the degeneration in his eyes, it is still far from approval and won’t replace vision
already lost.
His response to the possibility of becoming completely blind in the near future is
characteristic of the man. “I will complete a full Iron Man event, even if I have to have
someone leading me all the way.”
Follow Pieter’s progress as he trains to achieve a world’s first on Twitter @supapiet
#Supapiet
Note to Editor: Besides looking forward to his ‘debut’ in Australia, Pieter already has the
following career highlights under his belt:
•
•
•
•
National Champion handcycling 2005-2012
National Champion wheelchair racing 2009-2012
Multiple African record holder 100m – Marathon
Silver and bronze medallist Athletics World Champs 2011
•
•
•
•
Padova and Berlin Marathon champion (T51) 2011 & 2012
London 2012 SA Paralympic team
6th place 2012 Paralympics, London
Unofficially First C6 Quadriplegic to finish an Olympic Distance Triathlon
(1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run)
Contact:
Kerri Lurie
Magna Carta (PR)
+27(0) 11 784-2598
kerri@magna-carta.co.za
Pieter du Preez
Actuarial Analyst
Deloitte & Touche
Tel: +27 (0)11 209 8155
pdupreez@deloitte.co.za
Kerry Naidoo
Senior Manager: Communication
Deloitte & Touche
Tel: +27 (0)11 209 8630
kenaidoo@deloitte.co.za
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