Track & Field News of Monday, 4 February 2013

Source: theodore m. k. viwotor

Alem Mumuni features on BBC

Reigning African C2 Paracycling champion, Alem Mumuni, will feature live on the BBC live show, The One Show, on Tuesday, February 5 as a special guest.

The show, broadcasting live at 7 p.m from Ghana to highlight the work by UK charity Comic Relief, marks the 25th anniversary of their fundraising campaign, Red Nose Day. Alem was helped with IT training by a project funded by Comic Relief.

Alem is expected to answer questions on his life and achievements as a person with disability (PWD) who has defied the odds to become Africa’s brightest star in the C2 category of paracycling where he holds the title as a three-time champion.

Alem is currently preparing towards the UCI road race World Para cycling Championships in Canada in September, 2013, to gather points which qualify him to 2016 Paralympic games in Brazil.

As part of his next four years of preparation, he, together with Ernest Ayisi, another paracyclist, is working with the Technical Director of the Ghana Cycling Federation where he has targeted the Grenville SC Para cycling Open (USA), Montreal (Canada) and Spain events. These are UCI endorsed competitions, which constitute an important opportunity for him to compete internationally.

“This will be a continuation of my competitive story which is serving as an inspiration to the many young people with disabilities in Ghana, encouraging them to get involved in sport,” he said.

Alem is under the kind sponsorship of Pippa’s Fitness Centre whose facility he is using to fine-tune himself for the various competitions he intends participating in. SISS seeks to build partnership with his foundation in achieving its objectives, especially in the area of education.

Alem Mumuni has set up the Alem Foundation to help improve the lives of children, especially children with disabilities, orphans and vulnerable children in rural areas by creating the opportunity for them to participate in pre-primary development and primary school education in order to empower them to live full, strong and fulfilling lives.

He believes, “our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time'