“A hug saved my life” – Olympic cyclist

Garen Bloch (39) from Polokwane was able to become an Olympic cyclist, ranked number three in the world in 2004, thanks to the strength of his own willpower, self-discipline and dedication but when it came to a battle against alcohol and drugs he could not win on his own.
Speaking to Polokwane Observer exclusively last Friday at Meteffect Recovery Centre just outside Polo­kwa­ne, Bloch who is now a councillor at the centre, told his inspiring story in the hope that it will touch other alcoholics and drug addicts and motivate them to seek help.
“I was 14 years old when I went to watch my older brother Sean compete in cycling at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and I remember thinking, ‘This is really cool. I want to do that one day, I want to take part in the Olympics.’ So my dad got me a bicycle and I started cycling,” Bloch recalls.
In 2000, Bloch competed in the 1 000 m time trial in the Olympic Games in Sydney and came eighth. By this time he had already won 21 South African championships, set 12 African records, and won four World Cup medals. Six weeks after the Olympics, he finished fifth in the World Championships that took place in Manchester.
“My worst fear had come true. I couldn’t do my best at the Sydney Olympics because a week before the race I injured my back. But I still went ahead and competed.”
Bloch, who designed his own training programme, was training hard for the next Olympics to take place in Athens when disaster struck. Three weeks before the final trials, he hurt his back again in the same place. This time the injury was so bad that he could not compete. At this stage, at the age of 25, he was ranked number three in the world – quite an accomplishment as he had not yet reached his peak, which would have been between the age of 27 and 32 years.
“My Olympic dreams were shattered. I decided to take off six months to heal properly and then start training for the 2008 Olympics.”
It was in that time that he first experimented with alcohol and drugs. Within six months he was a full blown alcoholic and drug addict, a condition which continued for more than a decade.
During the 12 years of his addiction, he underwent treatment at 17 different treatment centres to no avail. The longest he stayed drug and alcohol free was five and a half months. “I was a disgusting human being. I became so good at lying and manipulating that I didn’t even have to steal to get money for my habit. I lived like a pig and only shaved and showered once every six months.”
On 18 June 2015 at the age of 36 he entered a programme at Meteffect Recovery Centre. “I was high on meth and heroine and I was taking 12 psychiatric drugs.”
Bloch says it was at Meteffect that he realised he could not kick his habits alone. “With the help of the 12-step programme, support structures, fellowships and my higher power, I was at long last able to stay clean.”
He says he never loved cycling, he just wanted to be thought of as special by others. “My true passion is martial arts, which I have been doing on and off for 30 years. I hope to open a martial arts studio soon and have already started working on it.” Bloch is a taekwondo instructor. He is also experienced in judo, kickboxing, muay thai, kung fu, amok, jujitsu and boxing.
For relaxation he loves riding his superbike, a blue Triumph Daytona 675. He also builds and flies racing drones.
“When I first came to Meteffect, my family had given up but decided to give me one last chance. I believed I was too far gone and not worth saving.
“Four days after entering the treatment centre, the owner, Michele Dix-Peek gave me a hug. I believe that hug saved my life because it made me think ‘hold on, there is something worth saving’ and that is when I decided to commit myself 100% to recovery, just as I had to cycling.”
It has been two years and seven months since he came to Meteffect. His parents, Mervyn and Sandra are proud of him. At his two year thanksgiving for his recovery, his father said “Garen has achieved many things in his life but his greatest achievement is the last two years of his recovery”.
He says he decided to study and qualify as a councillor and work at Meteffect Recovery Centre because he wants to be able to give others the opportunity to turn their lives around like he did – from complete hopelessness.

Story: KAREN VENTER
>>karen@observer.co.za