COMMONWEALTH Games gymnast from Pinetown, Siphesihle Biyase, is fighting his way back to full fitness after a horrific car crash which happened on the N3 en route to Johannesburg on Wednesday, 8 April.
A group of gymnasts were driving in convoy to the senior trials, junior boys’ testing and training camp in Pretoria. The accident claimed the life of Lindokuhle (LJ) Sithole (22). Biyase and fellow gymnast, Michael Robbertze, were injured in the accident.
The 24-year-old was part of the small South African gymnastics contingent that went to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014, a highlight of Biyase’s career.
The crash left Biyase seriously injured, and the process of getting himself back to training has been a tough one.
Due to the support and guidance of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation-backed Elite Athlete Development Programme (EADP) and Prime Human Performance Institute, the youngster is however still positive and hopeful for the future.
Biyase said it has taken him some time to get going again following the accident, but with his reworked goals, “I have something to work towards again and the South African team for the African Championships next year is my new goal.
“I have missed out on Olympic qualifiers, which is disappointing, but I am feeling a lot more positive now that I have something to work towards, even though the African champs is still a long way off,” he said.
Biyase is grateful for the support he has received from the EADP and Prime throughout his rehabilitation process.
“The doctor said that I am still around six months away from full training after I tore my posterior cruciate ligament as well as damaged my medial collateral ligament, so I have a lot of rehab work to do.”
An injury like the one sustained by Biyase could have set him back significantly; however, the young star has already been back to the Pinetown Gym at Lahee Park, helping out there to try and keep himself busy and remain actively involved in gymnastics.
“Getting back into the gym to help out has really helped me as well because I wanted to avoid being caught in a rut where I was not doing anything. It has been a good distraction for me and it is much better than sitting at home on the couch,” added Biyase.
