Maltese Athlete Will Row Longest Distance Ever Rowed ‘With An Arm And A Half’ In Paralympic Fundraiser
One athlete will celebrate his 28th birthday by rowing the longest distance ever rowed by a paralympic athlete to raise funds for one awesome cause.
A distance of 28km, the distance between Mellieħa and Sliema, will be rowed by Julian Bajada on a rowing machine. A challenge in its own right, especially without a second arm.
“I’m doing this because I’m turning 28 years old and I wanted to celebrate,” Julian said with a chuckle.
With that in mind, he decided to row the 28km distance on the 28th June, with the scope of raising €28,000 amid a 28-day awareness campaign.
“I’m rowing with a hand-and-a-half, so it’s quite a challenge.”
The fundraiser is a month-long campaign, launched on 1st June, to help the Malta Paralympic Committee (MPC) kickstart a program that would see ‘paralympic rowing’ become a reality in Malta.
The sport is both a team and individual event, and with a fee of €28,000, the association will have the means to hit the ground running with the necessary equipment. A dream come true for many would-be rowers on our island.
By rowing the distance, Julian will also raise awareness about what it truly means to be a paralympic athlete. Through it, he will call upon other athletes with disabilities to take their first steps in the world of sports.
“Paralympic Sport has the power to change lives,” he said. “Not only for individuals with physical impairments to help them believe in their own abilities and reach new heights, but for society to embrace the paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration, and equality.”
A lawyer by profession, Julian is a renowned swimmer in Malta’s paralympic scene, having taken to the sport as a teenager. He is no stranger to superhuman feats, having completed a Gozo to Malta open water swim in 2015. Today, he is also a diehard national and international athlete.
To make this dream a reality, the MPC partnered with Siġġiewi Rowing club, the latter of whom will provide coaches, build training facilities and invest in training camps and events over th next two years.
The challenge in itself, however, is sponsored by Nike through Intersport, and will take place at the Intersport store in Piazzetta on 28 June 2022 at 6pm onwards.
Nike has made it a major priority to create a better world by championing disabled athletes and expanding sport for the next generation.
If you want to be a part of this challenge, you can support the initiative by helping them raise funds for the cause. Donations may be made online via the online donation links on the challenge page – https://www.maltapara.com/rowingchallenge2022 or via bank transfer to IBAN MT05VALL22013000000040025857696.
The funds’ beneficiary will be the MPC, a non-profit registered voluntary organisation and a member of the International Paralympic Committee.
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