Among the elite runners, wheelchair racers, amateurs, and celebrities from around the world running the race on 23 April will be Ipeleng \u2018Crazy Legs\u2019 Khunou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Palesa Manaleng – EWN<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africa will be represented well in the upcoming London Marathon, which has returned to its spring slot in April after three years of taking place in October due to COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the elite runners, wheelchair racers, amateurs, and celebrities from around the world running the race on 23 April will be Ipeleng \u2018Crazy Legs\u2019 Khunou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I want the opportunity to win, and sports gives a person that opportunity to win even if it\u2019s against yourself. I run because sports also gave me a chance to have access to educate people about accessibility. As a person with limitations, the biggest issue is access, so sport gives me that opportunity to change that,” Khunou told Eyewitness News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The athlete was born with a rare brain illness called septo-optic dysplasia, which causes loss of balance and also affects eyesight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I honestly think the \u2018dis\u2019 in disability is the lack of accessibility. If our government enforced the Constitution for accessibility, then I do not think disability would be about people not being able to climb stairs on wheelchairs. Disability is honestly a lack of creativity in making the world inclusive for everyone. I would like to see our leaders going out of their way to build an inclusive system for everyone,” said Khunou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Nedbank Running Club athlete is a disability activist who uses the sport to raise awareness about his condition\u201a and funds for children with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I\u2019m using London Marathon as lobbying for running on crutches. I\u2019m visiting the United Kingdom to get amputee football involved in my campaign. I will also be meeting with Musa Motha, the amputee dancer. Other meetings I might confirm is Cerebral Palsy Sport, to see how we can grow as para sports.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently, individuals who use crutches as adaptive gear cannot use them to compete in running competitions at disability competitions nationally, or even at the Paralympics. Instead, they use wheelchair-racing chairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Yes I could in fact run using a racing chair, I have run using a chair before, but it\u2019s not natural for other people and me. I would like to run using crutches because that\u2019s what my normal feels like.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n