Body builder Ephraim is 'absolutely inspirational'

Gym work: Ephraim Gudgeon, watched by wife and “No.1 supporter” Arian, in training for the National Amateur Body-builders Association East Coast Champs at the War Memorial Theatre tomorrow. Gudgeon, who is paralysed from the waist down, is competing in the wheelchair category. Picture by Paul Rickard

BODYBUILDING

A year and a half ago Ephraim Gudgeon was paralysed from the waist down after jumping into the water at Omanawa Falls near Tauranga.

Tomorrow night the 25-year-old Hamiltonian will compete in the National Amateur Body-builders’ Association East Coast Champs at the War Memorial Theatre.

“I’ll be up onstage in the physique category in which competitors will be wearing posing trunks.

“But I will not be competing against them. I will be competing in my own category — the wheelchair category — and will be judged from the waist up,” said Gudgeon, who, along with his No.1 supporter and wife Arian, manage the Any Time Fitness Centre in Carnarvon Street.

“One minute I was swimming in the water and having fun; the next I jumped in from 25 metres up and as soon as I hit the water I knew something wasn’t right.

“I didn’t hit the bottom, or any rocks, but hitting the water was like hitting concrete and I knew there was something wrong with my legs.

“I managed to swim to the edge but I had little feeling in my legs.

“I was airlifted out from the falls and taken to Middlemore Hospital, where I went through eight hours of surgery.

“The doctors operated on my spine, making sure it wasn’t crushing on the spinal cord.”

Gudgeon, who worked as a personal trainer in Hamilton before the accident, spent two months at the spinal unit at Manukau during which time he realised he might not walk again.

“The doctors never actually said I wouldn’t walk again. They said there was a possibility I could get some feeling back and that gave me hope.

“I can stand by myself sometimes but it takes a lot of out of me. I get total support from Arian and I’m determined to continue working towards getting more strength back in my legs.”

So what brought the couple to Gisborne in July last year and into the world of body building?

“My uncle (Duane Gudgeon) owns the fitness centre and he offered us the position of running it,” said Gudgeon, who, despite the accident, is a remarkably positive person.

“I have times when I get down mentally. I feel sorry for myself but that’s when Arian keeps me going.

“She’s my No.1 motivator. She doesn’t compete but likes the training.

“The funny thing is before my accident I had always thought about taking up bodybuilding. It wasn’t until I lost the feelings in my legs that I decided to go for it.

“My family are Ngati Porou from the Coast and my grandfather moved from the Coast to Hamilton, so it’s a bit like coming home.

“With Gisborne being so far away, it’s hard for other bodybuilders who are in wheelchairs to travel here to compete, so I competed in a national competition in Hamilton last year and won the wheelchair division.

“It’s great to be able to compete here.”

And to show he has not lost his sense of humour he said: “I should win the wheelchair division here . . . I’m the only one in that class.”

“Ephraim is absolutely inspirational,” says East Coast champs co-organiser Tawhiri Walsh.

“All the tribulation Ephraim’s had and he just keeps trucking forward.

“His is an awesome story and I hope there are people out there, in whatever situation they may be, who read this article and can be inspired by him . . . I definitely am.”