#34 - Inspire Me - Congrats Steve

[Sheiky]

In 2009 the Triathlon European Championships where held in a small village about 7 km from where I live. The event took place over an entire weekend. I knew this one was coming a long time before it took place and I baldly asked press accreditation. (I started my photographic hobby only half a year before this). Since I did not have any press-passes or something they offered me to shoot on Saturday. The least important/busy day of the weekend for the press. Not only was this my first big event, I also had the best press-vest ever, because I was officialy photographer number 1!!

On Saturday there was the fun triathlon for locals, the womens EC Triathlon and the EC Triathlon for disabled people. To be honest, it was the most shocking yet incredible and beautiful thing I had ever seen.
In this sport you see people who, by standards of normal people, shouldn't be able to do these kind of things. I was training myself as well for a local triathlon, but these people with their disabilities(no arms, legs, blindness etc.) where pretty much all faster than I, a healthy young man, was. That was incredible to say the least.

The winner of the EC was a woman/girl my own age. She couldn't use her legs. I was really fascinated with her, because apparently she had been studying the same degree as I am in. And man, even with a hand-driven wheelchair-bike she was just as fast as a regular cycle racer. It's really impressive. About a year ago I heard in the news that after an accident and long/intensive revalidation she can now walk again! Better yet, she's now enlisted in the national womens cycle racing team, which is a huge thing.

Enough text now! This is my favorite shot of her from that day and it will be my entry:


EC Triathlon Holten 2009 by Jan Paalman, on Flickr

[Andy Stringer]

Great story Jan. People like this really are inspirational.

I've found similar inspiration from the natural world, witnessing the struggle for survival against the odds. One episode sticks in my mind from a safari trip a couple of years ago. I witnessed a wildebeest migration crossing the Mara river when one unlucky calf became separated from its mother. It eventually made it to the other side, exhausted from the effort of crossing the river and scrambling up the steep bank, but by this time the herd had moved away. At this point, a pride of lions emerged from cover and I thought I was about to witness a quick kill. I didn't expect the calf to put up a fight, charging at the lions.


1D Mark IV, EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM +1.4x II @ f/4, 1/320s, ISO 200

In the end, the lions did take the calf to the ground, but apparently they were not hungry and they let it get up again. This was repeated a few times. The young lions clearly just wanted to practice their attacking technique but had no need to make a kill as they had already fed well. The calf was eventually reunited with the herd, with a few scars on its back.

[ddt0725]

In this sport you see people who, by standards of normal people, shouldn't be able to do these kind of things. I was training myself as well for a local triathlon, but these people with their disabilities(no arms, legs, blindness etc.) where pretty much all faster than I, a healthy young man, was. That was incredible to say the least.

Very inspirational story and great photo, Jan! It really hits home for me since my ex-brother-in-law was a full leg amputee and what he was capable of doing on his own amazed me! He was a fantastic swimmer and taught me how to swim and drive a car and when I thought he wouldn't be able balance while driving his motorcycle, he did just fine and I had alot of fun riding on the back! When I thought I wouldn't make it in college (I was a high school goof off) he talked me into enrolling and attend the same school as him and I graduated with honors! Inspirational indeed, you captured the topic well!