Paralympics: Fraser's Paralympic dream 'wide open'

Fraser Sharp, back home training in Tauranga, is chasing his dream of qualifying for Rio. Photo / Andrew Warner

Fraser Sharp has lived by the adage "anything is possible" after he was nearly killed by a motorist while out training on his bike back in 1993.

The accident left him as close to death as possible but survive he did. He had to learn to talk, walk, read and write all over again.

Now the 39-year-old Tauranga resident is facing a different challenge. He has his heart set on making the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games as a road cyclist.

After competing in triathlons and Ironman events in New Zealand and Europe, Sharp decided 18 months ago to see if he qualified for Rio. He was graded as a C3 cyclist and quickly impressed the selectors with consistent performances.

In April, he won the 16.6km time trial and was third in the 70.6km road race at the 2015 Cycling Australia Para-Cycling event in Adelaide. In both races he beat multiple Olympic Games medallist and Korean champion Jin Yongsik. A week later at the national championships in Napier, Sharp won the 25km time trial.

In June he performed well in Italy to qualify in the five-strong New Zealand team at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland. He struggled in difficult conditions to perform to his best, which he admits has taken its toll on his confidence.

The head coach of Paralympics New Zealand para-cycling programme and Sharp's former coach, Jono Hailstone, says four men are competing for two spots in Rio.

"Fraser is definitely one of them and it is inspiring what he has been through. It is still pretty much wide open at this stage," Hailstone said.

"What happened in Switzerland would not have got him a spot. We put a lot of emphasis on the timed events like the time trial and track events, because they are so much more controllable. Invercargill is a key event coming up in December."

Sharp is now back home in Tauranga, training as hard as he ever has to be in the best shape possible for Invercargill.

"I am going down to race the time-trial and I want to do an exceptional ride in a good time," he said. "I have a new coach in Ric Reid, who competed at the Commonwealth Games and Olympics. My training is now up to 500km per week and will be going up to 800. I guess it all comes down to my legs now. They told me in Switzerland I am a medal contender so I can still do it."

The biggest hurdle blocking Sharp getting to Rio could be funding. -Donations: www.dreamfunda.com/Member/Fraser