Modern Athlete Magazine March 2026 | Page 15

The recent Absa Cape Epic mountain bike event featured a myriad of motivational stories of blood, sweat and tears.

Now, it’ s tough enough tackling the Epic as a two-man team with four healthy legs, but try doing it when you’ re a one-leg amputee and it becomes a whole new ball game.

But that’ s exactly what three teams of two took on over eight gruelling days, through the help of prosthetic company Össur South Africa’ s“ What’ s your Epic?” campaign to raise funds for three amazing charities – Jumping Kids, Rejuvenate SA, and Zimele NPC – all active in the mobility realm.

One of these teams featured African para-triathlon champion Mhlengi Gwala and partner Rudi Joubert. Both have very different stories but a common indomitable spirit.

Thirty-five-year-old Gwala’ s story is a gory one, as he was attacked by three criminals who attempted to cut his leg off – with a chainsaw!

“ That was in March 2018,” says the KwaZulu-Natal father of three young daughters.“ I recovered initially and doctors put everything together but then in December 2019 I developed infection and during the Covid-19 pandemic in August the next year, they were forced to amputate.

“ It’ s been a long journey to get here but to be honest, I’ ve never felt like I was doing it by myself, I’ ve always had people supporting me – from the very first day.”

Gwala received his first prosthetic limb and by December 2020 was able to start running and it wasn’ t long before he competed in his first national para-triathlon championships in Bloemfontein. Despite not qualifying for the 2024 Paris Paralympics, he has his sights set on Los Angeles 2028.

“ Thankfully I’ ve got a good background in cycling so it’ s quite easy to change bikes – my biggest challenge is the single-track sections. We did a training camp in January which was quite an eye-opener – I fell lots of times, but I got better and better and then we also did a race in Banhoek, Stellenbosch.”

Gwala, a lifeguard by day at Brighton Beach in KZN, says going into the Epic he visualised it in the vein of another KZN epic, the annual Comrades Marathon road race.

“ It seems you just have to keep going through thick and thin, one just has to pray that one has no medical issues during the eight days – mechanical issues can be fixed, but staying healthy is key.”

Moving on to Mpumalanga-born and bred Joubert, and cycling proved to be a healing tool for him after a marathon medical battle.

Now living in Secunda after spells in Witbank, Kriel and Delmas, the young Joubert played Craven Week rugby for Northern Transvaal for three consecutive years( 97-99).

After working for an agricultural company, he was retrenched during a national financial slump but went on to get into the Non- Destructive Testing( NDT) field and worked his way up to a very senior level.

And then his medical problems started.

“ In January 2017 I ended up in hospital for three months with abdominal / heart problems. After a visit to theatre, there were complications and I ended up with sepsis, and then three days later I had nine heart attacks in one day. I went to Benoni Hospital and was there for six months, eventually having my whole stomach flushed out etc – a truly life-changing experience.”

He then worked hard on rehab and got a clearance certificate to start working again, but his misfortune was far from over.

“ So, on 10 November, a ton of steel fell on my foot and I was back in hospital for a year and eight months trying to save my foot! It’ s only natural to think we’ ll be less in life if we don’ t have feet, but the doctor persuaded me that my best option would be to amputate the leg.”

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“ And then a friend pitched up at my house and said:‘ let’ s go cycling’ – I did 7km and thought I was dying,” he chuckles.

“ That was back in 2021 and in 2022 I rode my first Old Mutual go2berg and I’ ve never looked back …“

He says cycling genuinely changed his life for the better.“ Naturally, being an amputee means everyone asks you about your story etc.

“ Honestly my bike has taken me to more places than I ever dreamed of when I wasn’ t an amputee.

“ Just being able to move and see our beautiful country is an absolute pleasure and as an amputee, one can do it with the help of Össur – the adventure is yours to discover.”

Joubert went into the Epic with a solid build-up behind him, and a lot of shed weight.

“ I truly feel blessed to be doing the Epic with Mhlengi, because of this sponsorship, and our hope is to give more people inspiration by just being able to move, even go for a walk, let alone do the Cape Epic.

“ My life motto is to love what you do and do what you love … disability is really just the ability to do great things.”

Looking back, Joubert was sadly forced to withdraw after the prologue, a heavy fall leaving him with a torn shoulder ligament and fractured rib.

But Gwala ground on and got through!“ It’ s definitely the hardest race I’ ve done … on day six I had a big challenge when I snapped my chain and had to push my bike on foot for 19km … but you can’ t give up, and once you start something you have to finish it.

“ But what a great event, all the people were so nice, if I get the chance I’ ll definitely do it again. the hardest part was getting up every day to face the challenge. Now I know what more to do to prepare again!”