FEATURE
WAITING FOR A BREAK
From the Cape Flats to the South African Para surfing team, Emihle Sombexe is chasing a dream that’ s now within reach, if he can just bridge the financial gap between selection and the world stage.
By Karien Jonckheere
Photos courtesy of: Neo Pillay- Lila Fine Art Photography, Greg Chapman Photography & Roxy Davis Foundation
Out in the ocean beyond the breakers is where Emihle“ EJ” Sombexe is most at peace.
Coming from the Cape Flats, that stillness can be hard to come by. So is the chance to compete on a world stage. After three years as a reserve, the 20-year-old has finally earned his shot. But financial constraints threaten to prevent him from competing at the ISA World Para Surfing Championship in California from 19-22 November.
His is a story that could have turned out very differently in so many ways. He was run over by a truck in the street outside his home and lost his right leg before the age of two, but Sombexe can’ t remember any of those early years of negotiating life with just one leg. He was always an active kid and simply got stuck into all sports – athletics, football, basketball, table tennis and even wheelchair tennis.
But when, at age 15, a physiotherapist working at his school put him in touch with surf coach Roxy Davis, and her ocean-based therapy programme, Sombexe found his true passion.
While comfortable in the water and always eager to take on a new challenge, he wasn’ t too sure about the sport at the start.
“ First it was scary … seeing waves and seeing people do those manoeuvres on the waves,” he admitted.“ I was like, okay, maybe I can ' t picture myself doing it. I ' ve never seen anyone do it before. Especially if you are a Para athlete … So I was like a bit sceptical with the decision I was making.
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