Bhaveet aims at new goals in life after crash
By BRIAN YONGABhaveet Chadusama was involved in a road accident in February 2000 that injured his spinal cord and left him a paraplegic.
Many thought this would crush his spirit and discourage him from pursuing his dreams.
Bhaveet has proved them wrong because he has accepted his fate and does not let his circumstances stop him from doing the things he loves.
He read an article in a newspaper about a basketball player on a wheelchair who had won a scholarship to the US and that touched him.
“I couldn’t believe that someone on a wheelchair could play sports, that inspired me,” Bhaveet recalls.
Born in Parklands,he grew up playing cricket, football, basketball, hockey and swimming.
Fifteen months ago he took up shooting as a hobby. “Not many people know of shooting as a sport like football, rugby or boxing. Shooting brings to mind guns, police, thieves and blood,” he says.
“I used to do shooting during my free time but when I discovered it was an Olympic sport, my interest grew. I started training with able-bodied shooters at the Nairobi Sailing Club since there were no facilities for paraplegics,” says Bhaveet.
Bhaveet, 35, practices twice a week under experienced trainers. He took part in his first shooting competition last October during the Uhuru Shoot at Stoni Athi where he finished in a respectable seventh place after beating some able-bodied competitors.
This year, he made history by becoming the first Kenyan paraplegic to represent the country at an international event. Bhaveet competed at the IPC World Shooting Competition in Bangkok, which attracted 170 shooters from 23 countries.
“I gained experience, knowledge and met new people,” said Bhaveet.
He says a lot needs to be done to popularise the sport.
Bhaveet is forced to improvise equipment and said for the sport to grow it requires attention like other disciplines.
He was invited to the European Championship where after good results in Thailand.
Bhaveet’s next challenge is the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. He thanks his wife and father for supporting him.
“My wife is my number one fan, she travelled with me to Thailand. Initially my father was skeptical but has come to accept my love for the sport,” said the first born in a family of four.