By Kylie Walker
Achmat Hassiem, the lifeguard whose foot was bitten off by a great white shark during a life-saving exercise at Sunrise Beach last August, has high hopes of qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.
"I don't know yet whether I have qualified - my coach, Brian Button, is keeping it a secret - but from my swimming times I know I have one or two events in which I am among the top six in the world," an upbeat Hassiem said.
Hassiem, 25, recently returned from the National Swimming Championships in Durban where he competed against other disabled swimmers and was named "most outstanding swimmer".
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"I'm training really hard at the moment. I swim eight times a week, morning and evening, and in between that I have gym sessions."
His best stroke is the 50m butterfly - "I am a second off the world record".
At the Sports Science Institute in Newlands he is also training for the 100m butterfly, and the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle events.
"I'm swimming with my good friend Chris King, who is not disabled, and who is one of the fastest swimmers in South Africa. Keeping up with him really pushes me. I forget about my disability, which is an awesome thing."
Hassiem says he is still nervous about going into the ocean, but the loss of his leg has not slowed him down.
"I swim way faster now than I did with two legs. I used to dream of making the national team, and competing in the biggest sporting event in the world. Now that I might represent my country I want to do the best I can."
He is also "trying to get a blade of the type Oscar Pistorius uses so I can run really fast, which I'm unable to at the moment."
At present he is studying a coaching science course at the Exercise Training Academy with the intention of one day owning a swimming school where he can help others with disabilities.
"I have been given so much help I want to give something back," he said.
- This article was originally published on page 3 of Sunday Argus on July 08, 2007
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