Local wheelchair rugby player likes taking things to the extreme
Despite his disability, Ben Erasmus still enjoys sports that would be too daring even for some ordinary people.
The versatile disabled sportsman Ben Erasmus’s life was changed forever in a matter of seconds when a friend lost control of the vehicle he was driving.
The resulting accident, which happened 11 years ago, led to Erasmus being a quadriplegic. He was only 19 at the time.
According to Erasmus, he was left with a simple choice – he could opt to feel sorry for himself for the rest of his life, or he should make peace with what happened and try to make the most of his new life. He chose the latter.
As part of his rehabilitation, he got introduced to wheelchair rugby. He kind of took an immediate liking to the robust game.
“At first I think it was the camaraderie that did it for me. Everyone who plays wheelchair rugby has a story about not giving up on life. It is nice to belong,” he explained.
Erasmus ended up playing for the Tuks wheelchair rugby team. His aggressive approach, not minding to put his body on the line, has not gone unnoticed. He has already got two caps playing for South Africa’s national team to his name.
One of the unfortunate consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic is that it had been more than four months since he last had an opportunity to make or take a “hit” on the court.
A big part of wheelchair rugby is making tackles. It would seem the bigger the hit, the bigger the rush.
“Going for the tackle is a way to vent our frustration and get rid of your ‘bad’ energy,” he remarked.
Erasmus is equally passionate about cars, especially Land Rovers. He earns a living, restoring these cars. It stands to good reason that Erasmus would want to know what they are capable of when being put to the test. That is why he has taken to compete in Extreme 4×4 events.
He is managing to hold his own against the able body drivers. On the day’s everything goes according to plan, there is always a real chance of him being on the podium. A definite highlight was getting to win at a recent race at Hekpoort.
On occasions, his Tuks teammate, Okkie Anker, joins him as the navigator, but it is mostly the responsibility of his wife, Kirsten.
“It is the rush.” That is Erasmus’ answer when asked what enjoys about Extreme 4×4 competitions.
“No one race is ever the same. Every obstacle comes with its own unique challenge. If you are not the master of your vehicle, you are bound to come unstuck. In Extreme 4×4 competitions, it is all about limiting your mistakes,” he concluded.
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