JUSTINE ASHER is living proof that no matter the circumstances that one faces, you can be successful in whatever you set your heart and mind to. SUPPLIED ON A ROLL: Justine Asher in action during her road race at the 2014 World Champs in Greenvillle, South Carolina. Asher has been nominated as Sportswoman of the Year with disability for the South African Sports Awards which will be held tomorrow in Sandton. Asher will be competing against Paralympic wheelchair tennis player Kgothatso Montjane and swimming champion Adri Visser. “I’m very privileged and it’s an honour to receive my first nomination,” she said. Asher’s achievement is astounding as she’s still a relative newbie in the world of hand cycling at the age of 43. “I became a quadriplegic 25 years ago when I was in an accident and the car rolled over. It took years of adjustment but I was a normal mom who looked after two girls for 17 years, ran errands, fetched them from school and just swam at the gym to keep fit.” “I only started racing two years ago when my friend introduced me to the sport and I got a second-hand bike as it’s quite expensive. “I joined the Maties Club in Stellenbosch, selectors noticed my potential and by February 2013 I competed in the national championships.” Asher has competed in four World Cups and two World Championships, taking home the gold in both the H2 timetrial and road race events in the first UCI World Cup event in Castiglione, Italy, in May as well as in Spain in July. She also won gold in the women’s H2 class at the UCI Para- Cycling Road World Championships held in Greenville, South Carolina, in August, and is currently ranked as number one in the world in WH2 class. With her type of disability, Asher noted, there were not many athletes with the same disability in SA to train with or compete against which made it difficult when she competed against her own class on the international front. I’m a H2 quadriplegic, which means I have the use of my arms, chest and shoulders, with limited use of my hands and torso muscles.” But for Asher, the only setbacks she’s facing are the ones in her newfound career. “I always want to be faster and better especially as I’m new to the sport. There are different components and for me education is key, especially when it comes to understanding your equipment like using lighter frames. “There are also the financial constraints as I have no sponsorships or funding so this limits me. But physically I’m learning so much about myself as well as my health when it comes to heart rates, blood pressure and leaning to work with what I have to reach my full potential.” Asher has sets her goals high, saying: “2015 is very exciting and I’m hoping to do well at the nationals and African Championships in February to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics.” She will also be heading to World Cup events in Europe between May and August, with events taking place in Germany, Switzerland and Italy. When it comes to training, Asher relies on physiotherapist Tom Paulsen and national coach Elrick Kulsen. “I work with Tom at the High Performance Centre and he sends me a programme and keeps tabs on me, while I work with Elrick when we are at international events like the World Championships. “I train every day with one or two rest days and with every competition, look at what I can do to improve my fitness.” Asher juggles motherhood and hand cycling, with business as she and her husband Shaun own their own property company. She admits though that having a good support base ensures she does it effortlessly. “When I’m overseas, my parents take over and I couldn’t have done it without their support. My husband is my number one supporter and he always accompanies me to every race. “My short-term goal is to compete at the nationals, World Cups and World Championships, while my long-term goal is to be more competitive and win more medals for South Africa. I’m still new at the sport but I’ve learnt that if you put yourself out there and prove you’re a good competitor, display a fiery side, you can achieve amazing things.”
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:08:54 +0000
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