du PREEZ Nicolas Pieter

South Africa
Cycling Road
14 Jan 1980
41
Male
H1
JOHANNESBURG
 
South Africa

Events and Medals

Discipline Event Rank Medal
CRD Cycling Road Men's H1-2 Road Race LAP
Men's H1 Time Trial 1 Gold Medal

Schedule

Change
Start Time Location Event Status
Fuji International Speedway
Men's H1 Time Trial
Finished
Fuji International Speedway
Men's H1-2 Road Race
Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

:

CYCLING ROAD
RankEventYearLocation
Road World Championships
1Men's H1 - Road Race2021Cascais, POR
1Men's H1 - Road Race2017Pietermaritzburg, RSA
1Men's H1 - Road Race2015Nottwil, SUI
1H1 Time Trial2015Nottwil, SUI
1Men's H1 - Road Race2014Greenville, SC, USA
2H1 Time Trial2021Cascais, POR
2Men's H1 - Road Race2018Maniago, ITA
2H1 Time Trial2018Maniago, ITA
2H1 Time Trial2017Pietermaritzburg, RSA
2H1 Time Trial2014Greenville, SC, USA
3H1 Time Trial2019Emmen, NED
6Men's H1 - Road Race2019Emmen, NED

ATHLETICS
RankEventYearLocationResult
Paralympic Games
6100m - T512012London, GBR24.21
World Championships
2200m - T512011Christchurch, NZL47.15
3100m - T512011Christchurch, NZL23.49
:
Supa-P ["As I have overcome a lot."] (Athlete, 23 Jan 2011)
:
Analyst
:
Finance, Management - University of Johannesburg, South Africa
:
Wife Illse, son Pietman [2017]
:
Afrikaans, English
:
He has represented South Africa in Para athletics, and placed sixth in the T51 100m at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. He has also competed in Para triathlon and Ironman events. (SportsDeskOnline, 03 Aug 2020; inthebunch.co.za, 30 Aug 2017)
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2010 for South Africa (cyclingsa.com, 16 Jun 2010)
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In 2013 he broke his arm in three places following a collision with another cyclist during training. Despite his arm being in plaster for two weeks he went on to complete an Ironman event six weeks after the injury. (redbull.com, 24 Feb 2015; you.co.za, 27 Jan 2014; enca.com, 14 Dec 2013)
:
He previously competed in able-bodied cycling and triathlon at university level in South Africa. After his accident, he returned to sport in 2005 playing wheelchair rugby. He wanted to work towards returning to triathlon so began handcycling, and made the national team in 2010. "I was born to be in sport. That's the way I've been all of my life before and after my accident." (modernathlete.co.za, 01 Aug 2013; paralympic.org, 24 Jul 2020)
:
To win a medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (paralympic.org, 24 Jul 2020)
:
South African triathlete Raynard Tissink. (Athlete, 23 Jan 2011)
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"When everyone is hurting in a race, the question is who can take the most hurt." (wingsforlifeworldrun.com, 15 Feb 2016)
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He was nominated for the 2015 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award. The award was eventually won by Brazilian Para swimmer Daniel Dias. (citizen.co.za, 02 Mar 2016; paralympic.org, 19 Apr 2016)

General Interest

Classification
H1 (UCI, 15 Mar 2020)

Type of Impairment
Spinal Cord Injuries (joburg.org.za, 29 Sep 2010)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (joburg.org.za, 29 Sep 2010)

Impairment Details
At age 23 he was cycling to a chiropractic appointment when he was hit by a car. His injuries resulted in C6 quadriplegia. He was in the intensive care unit at hospital for 42 days, with the first 32 of those in an induced coma. "It was incredible how calm I actually was. The motorist was screaming and shouting and I was just telling her to calm down, that it was OK, that I forgive her." (Men's Health South Africa, 01 Jun 2017; spinalpedia.com, 20 May 2015; modernathlete.co.za, 01 Aug 2013; joburg.org.za, 29 Sep 2010)

General
DECLINING VISION
He has an inherited genetic eye condition which means he has begun to lose his sight. The speed of this process is increased due to his previous injuries. (health24.com, 11 Mar 2013)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He serves as an ambassador for Wings for Life, a non-profit research foundation that aims to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. (redbull.com, 26 Feb 2016)

Milestones

In 2013 he became the first athlete with quadriplegia to complete an Ironman triathlon event, following his participation at the Ironman Western Australia event in Busselton, WA, Australia. "It is still mind-blowing, I can't believe it, but I became the first quadriplegic in the world to do an Ironman. Not only did I finish it, I smashed it in 13 hours and 24 minutes, almost four hours under the cut off time. I always want to be the first. Everyone knows who the first guy on the moon was, nobody knows who the second guy was." (paralympic.org, 24 Jul 2020; inthebunch.co.za, 30 Aug 2017; redbull.com, 18 Mar 2014; enca.com, 14 Dec 2013)

In 2017 he became the first person with a spinal cord injury to swim the 8km crossing between Cape Town and Robben Island in South Africa. He completed the challenge despite suffering from hypothermia for the final two kilometres. He is also the first person with quadriplegia to complete the 94.7 Cycle Challenge in South Africa using a handcycle. (paralympic.org, 24 Jul 2020; inthebunch.co.za, 30 Aug 2017; uj.ac.za, 20 Feb 2009)
Legend
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Gold Medal
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Gold Medal Event
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Silver Medal Event
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Bronze Medal Event
LAP:
LAP.
Content 1 (removed through CDN)
Content 2 (removed through CDN).
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