Well it started in 1975 when Bob Hall of Belmont, Massachusetts at the age of 24 turned up at the starting line of the 75th Boston marathon to do something that was never done before.
Bob arrived on the day in a hospital wheelchair that had been adapted for racing and was the first athlete in the world to complete a marathon in a wheelchair .
In fairness Bob had been in touch with the Race Director Will Cloney and had got permission to take part, Will Cloney said that if the Bob finished in 3.30 hour or less that his attempt would be officially recognized. Bob Hall crossed the finishing line in 2 hours and 58 min after the starting gun went off and realized his goal.
And along the way, he changed perceptions. His efforts open doors for other athletes with disabilities that wanted to compete in marathons.
Athletes in wheelchairs race in marathons around the world, Wheelchair racers are recognizing as equal counterparts to runners and have there own category, Thirty Five years after Bob Hall turned up at the starting line his efforts carry on paying dividend.
It was with a heavy heart I read that the Event organisers prohibited wheelchairs users from participating in 2010 SBS Marathon Christchurch. Traffic Management and Health and Safety requirements are often used to legitimise these decisions, I think this is discrimination.
While in April 2010 Wakako Tsuchida a Japanese athlete made wheelchair racers history by winning two marathons in one week. She won in Boston in 1:43:32 on the 19th of April and in London on April 25th her time was 1:52:33
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