The Paralympic Games are just around the corner, so Bert and Bavo thought it was high time to try out a few more sports. This week the duo ventured into a wheelchair race with Peter Genyn and Johannes Balbaert. Although Bavo’s wheelchair turned out to be not always easy to tame.
Who better than Peter Genyn to teach you the tricks of wheeling?
Our compatriot will soon be at his 5th Games and has already won 4 medals, 3 of which are gold. In Paris he wants to score again. “I’m going for a medal”, he is honest with Bert and Bavo.
“But what colour? That will of course depend on the shape of the day. We still have to see that.”
He will enjoy it anyway. “Because this is a real outlet”, he does not hide his love for the sport.
And he is not the only one who found an outlet in wheeling. For the crash course in wheelchair racing, Genyn brought another Belgian talent. Johannes Balbaert will not be there in Paris, but he is aiming for LA in 2028.
“But we’re not in the same category,” Genyn quickly explains. “I’m T51. That’s for people who don’t have any abs or leg muscles anymore. My hands are also paralyzed and my triceps work for a third.”
Johannes is part of the T53: no abs or leg muscles, but perfect arms and shoulders. “You don’t let someone weighing 60 kilograms fight someone weighing 120 kilograms, do you?”
You have much more talent than most who try.
Peter Genyn
On the track, both wheelers take one of the newcomers under their wing.
And the crash course seems to pay off for Bavo right away. But not much later he learns the hard way how difficult it is to control the wheelchair.
“If you’re tired, you can say so too,” he says with a laugh as Bavo lies back with his knees in the air.
Although the smile quickly makes way for a compliment. “You have much more talent than most who try,” Genyn beams after Bert and Bavo’s race.
Now the only question remains: who of the two was crowned best wheeler in that race? Watch the adventure of the cheerful duo via VRT MAX.
Bert and Bavo go to the Olympics
Bavo and Bert prepare for the Olympic Games in Paris with Belgian top athletes. Together they get to know the athlete and his or her discipline. Blood, sweat and tears guaranteed.
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