Garry finds his passion following accident
TALLAI’S Garry Rogers was a one-time world championships mountain bike competitor who never really liked running, which is curious given the amazing events that have conspired to shape his life over the past five years.
Rogers is a bilateral (double lower arm) amputee who has entered four of the toughest middle-distance running events at the Pan Pacific Masters Games, including today’s beach mile at Kurrawa.
“As a kid I just hated running, it just wasn’t my thing. The only time I ran was when I was running away from trouble,” Garry told ABC Gold Coast radio yesterday.
But all that changed after a near-fatal workplace accident in January 2013.
“I went to work as an electrical linesman on a Monday, just like any other day, and something just went horribly wrong,” he said.
“When the accident happened, I was working live on 11,000 volts.
“I spent seven days in ICU before I woke up and spent three months in hospital with 13 operations to progressively remove my limbs before another six weeks in rehabilitation.
“The doctors told me my good health from mountain biking helped me stay alive.”
His path to what he now describes as his “running addiction” started when he was in rehabilitation and spied a treadmill in the hospital gym.
Rogers will also compete in the 5km road race, 4km cross country and 10.5km trail run.