Kids race to the finish line at the Challenged Athletes Kid's Run. Photos by Rich Cruse
Local Paralympic Gold and Bronze medalist in swimming Roy Perkins Jr. tags his relay team member Master Sgt. Dean Wagner.
Participants of varying ages participated in the bike, run and swim.
Competing in two of three legs of the 15th annual San Diego Triathlon Challenge, a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run at La Jolla Cove Sunday was a transcendent experience for handcyclist Paralympian Oscar "Oz" Sanchez.
"I attempted to do the whole triathlon - did really well on the swim and started the relay portion of handcycling," he said, adding that he "was too beat to do the race, so I opted out."
Sanchez, who was rendered a paraplegic by a spinal cord injury in a 2001 motorcycle accident, is one of three 2008 U.S. Paralympic Gold Medalists who competed in the Oct. 26 triathlon challenge.
The annual event, in which 125-plus challenged- and able-bodied athletes compete side by side, is sponsored by the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which has grown immensely during its 15-year history.
"The first race we raised $48,000," said Foundation director Roy Perkins. "Last year we raised over $4 million, and we even had to cancel the event because of the wildfires. We were able to give away $1.077 million in grants to 625 challenged athletes around the world."
It's become an inspirational event for challenged athletes like Sanchez.
"Sport cycling started out as a way to be active and physical," he said, "but has evolved over time into succeeding for a bigger purpose outside of myself: being a good role model, and a good advocate of disabled sports in general. My aspiration is to be a motivational speaker."
Dave Schwab Dave Schwab is a reporter with the La Jolla Light. Contact Dave at (858) 875-5951 or daves@lajollalight.com.
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