“I am absolutely devastated and hugely disappointed. Of all the things that I imagined going wrong on the day, this definitely was not one of them,” said Graham Paull after his disqualification at the Rio 2016 Paralympics.
The Chartwell resident, and member of the Dabulamanzi Canoe Club at Emmarentia Dam, was the first person from Africa to compete in para-canoeing at the Paralympics.
He competed in the KL1 200m para-canoe event, and came fourth in his heat on 14 September. It appeared as if he would qualify for the semi-final the next day, but at the weigh-in his canoe was discovered to be marginally too light, meaning he was disqualified from the event.
His canoe weighed 11.950kg when it should have weighed at least 12kg. However, Paull said that a few days before his race, his canoe was the correct weight, and he had a certificate to prove it, which now added to his frustration.
“There is nothing that I can do but pick myself up and focus on the future. The whole Paralympic experience has been absolutely incredible and it is something that I will never forget.” Paull added that it was a huge honour to meet so many inspiring people.
“I plan to go back home, regroup and then start the journey that will hopefully see me redeem myself in Tokyo 2020.”
Jason Brown, Dabulamanzi Canoe Club general manager, said that the club is unequivocally proud of what Paull has accomplished. “It’s great to have a club member qualify for the international competition, but to have their quest cut short on a technicality is disappointing to say the least,” he said.
Making it to Rio
Before going to Rio, Paull had said it was always his dream to represent South Africa on the international stage, and Rio would be his greatest achievement. The former North Riding resident had been a formidable rugby player, and was about to play in the Vodacom Rugby Cup 2013 as hooker for the Limpopo Blue Bulls, but a spinal infection called transverse myelitis caused his paralysis from the waist down and he was confined to a wheelchair at the age of 26.
Paull never gave up, and through great strength of will, became a world-class para-canoeist. He won the South Africa Sprint Championships twice, and came fifth at the Canoe Sprint World Championships in Italy and came seventh at the ICF Para-Canoeing World Championships in Germany, effectively qualifying for Rio twice.
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