My First Ever Published Article

Beyond darkness, there is light: Blind athlete takes on Spec-Savers Ironman South Africa 2008

Date: Thursday, March 27, 2008

By: Rory Petzer and Deborah Thomas

Close your eyes. Dark. Take five steps forward. Terrifying. Now, keep them closed and swim 3.8 km, cycle 180km and run 42.2 km. Impossible? For Francois Jacobs, 37, and Jurie Krige, 43, this daunting task awaits them on 13 April when they will compete in the Spec-Savers Ironman South Africa 2008 in Port Elizabeth.
Jacobs, a business analyst from Centurion, blind since birth, will be the first blind athlete ever to take on the Spec-Savers Ironman South Africa. He will be guided by Krige, an electrical contractor from Benoni, who previously guided a blind athlete in the cycle leg of the Korean Ironman of 2006.

When they first met about eight months ago, Jacobs was looking for a tandem partner to possibly compete in the paralympics in Beijing, but Krige suggested that they tackle the intimidating Ironman first. “I was initially shocked to discover what he wanted to do, but I soon realised that it would be a challenge totally different from anything else I have ever attempted” said Jacobs who has never competed in a triathon event before.

As they live in different towns, they began training on their own, but given the intensity of the event they decided they would have to make a concerted effort to train together. They say, “A training day would typically consist of swimming in the morning and running in the afternoon. If we still feel strong after all that we'd throw in a couple of kilos on the bike as well.”

Krige describes Jacobs as a very strong-willed person who knows what he wants. “He has given me a lot of confidence in his ability to finish the Ironman and to do very well,” Krige says. Having seen a blind American athlete and his partner doing the full Ironman in Korea in 2006, Krige was also inspired to try it and it seems he has found the perfect partner in Jacobs.

The only time they ever came close to quitting was when they did their first swim. “It was a shock to find that being cycling fit means nothing in the water,” Jacobs says. To Krige, the swim will be the most daunting part of the race. “My biggest fear is that we get eliminated in the swim section and don't get a chance to really do what we are really good at - being the bike and the run,” says Krige.

Inspired by a passion for watching the Comrades Marathon, Jacobs says he thinks it's a good thing for the public to see that being blind does not necessarily mean that a person would have to be physically inactive and dependent on others for everything. Beyond any darkness, there is light.

“I don't think I'm the fittest person around but I do know my mental strength and I'm sure I'll finish it. I also know that things like this inspire people on many different levels and if we managed to make a difference to at least one person then I think we have done well.”