Ora's leg was amputated following a severe car accident. Poochy suffered from polio paralysis at a young age, and yet always played sports anyway. The two, who train together, will also compete against each other this Friday.
'Bike inserted light into my life'
"I ride four times a week. It's my routine," says Shtruchen. "I have been riding for eight years now, wow… And I am truly addicted."
"The bike truly inserted light into my life," adds Pearlstein. "Riding outdoors, being out in nature. For someone who loved traveling in the country by foot, now I can see this beautiful land on wheels."
"Engaging in the hand bike sport improves the quality of life for handicapped people," explains Ofer Eisenberg, a trainer at the Beit Halochem rehabilitation center.
"It gives them the ability to move quickly, from one place to another, with other people, to have coffee in cafés and be like everybody else. Therefore their daily performance is greatly improved."
"Very soon after I was wounded, I wanted to become involved in sports," Pearlstein confirms. "It lifted me up, and it gives me a sense of independence and control."
"Physical intense aerobic activity releases endorphins, which is like natural morphine created by the body due to the workout. This is one of the reasons for the addiction to the activity," explains Shtruchen.
'Competitiveness is different for women'
Even though this is not a new sport, very few women compete and participate in it. We are talking about approximately 10 women in comparison to 150 men, which is why Shtruchen and Pearlstein must compete against each other.
"There aren't many women in international sports in general, and there aren’t many sports for the handicapped," says Eisenberg. "Why? I'm not sure, but it's a fact.
"Maybe it's because of the competitiveness, which is different for women than for men," Shtruchen tries to explain. "A certain amount of dedication is also required in terms of time. And women at an age where they are not just athletes, but also mothers, may not have that kind of time. I hope that someday though, women will partake in sports just the same as men do."
The Tel Aviv Gillette Marathon will be held on Friday, April 8. Click here for details and registration.
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