Interview Marije

Marije lost her leg, when she was twelve years, because she had a tumor in her leg.

Marije smits19 years

Marije now does athletic far-jumping. She trains six times a week. She trains on a normal athletics course. She has a

special prothese for sport and an extra one for normal days. This is a picture of her sport prothese.

It is very expensive to buy materials, so she is very dependant on her sponsors. They provide her with some

money, her prothese and clothes.

She has also played in the paralympics 2004, but she aims to achieve more next time in 2008. Her goal now is the World

Championship in Assen.

Obstacles in her life

She thinks that she doens’t really have a handicap. She just has a little more trouble with things than people without a handicap. The only thing she won’t be able to do is ballroom dancing. According to her, she didn’t really have obstacles in her life. Her family supported her very much, and she was very strong minded.

Statistics

Level of handicap

Total percentage

Total amount

Light 13,3% 1.945.000

Medium 6,7% 980.000

Severe 3,5% 512.000

Level of handicap

6-19 years 20-64 years 65+

Light 6,5% 176.000 12,8% 1.267.000

23,8% 480.000

Medium

2,1 54.000

5,0% 495.000 20,6% 415.000

Severe 1,8% 178.000 15,7% 512.000

Interview Cefas

Cefas Bouwman

25 years

When he was 13 years old he had a car accident that caused 4 bone fractures in his right leg, and

a damaged meniscus. There was a change of revalidation but he felt and broke his hip, and

demolished his knee.

Before Cefas became fully handicaped, he was an accountant, but now he is a 25 year old fulltime handbiker. He became so good at it, because he practised a lot. Now Cefas trains 20 hours a week. He earns enough money with handbiking to make it his primary income. The sponsors pay for his sporting equipment as well.

Obstacles in his life

Just like Marije, he doesn’t really think he has a lot of obstacles in his life. He got the handicap when he was young, so he learned to grow up with it. He taught himself some tricks to deal with the obstacles he might encounter.

Sport achievementsHighlights of his career• 1999: First European Championship (EC)

• 2000: Dutch champion of a roadrace

• 2001: Silver during EC timetrialBronze during EC roadrace

• 2002: Bronze during World Championship timetrial

• 2004: Dutch champion timetrialfirst national title2x 4th at the Paralympics in Athene

• 2005: Dutch champion timetrailEuropean champion

Many thanks to:RobStéphanieLisetteFemkeAnd last but certainly not least

Huub