SA: British paraplegic cycles across Australia

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-1999
SA: British paraplegic cycles across Australia

He's cycled up Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and now crossed Australia from Darwin to
Adelaide, but British paraplegic JON AMOS is already thinking about his next adventure.

The 41-year-old wheeled into Adelaide this morning to complete the odyssey across the
country on his hand-cranked machine, a cross between a wheelchair and a bicycle.

And even though he admits to being tired and windblown, with the conditions along the route
tougher than he expected, he's already planning his next test of endurance.

But he's not giving away too much, only saying the next will be in another continent much
colder than Australia.

AMOS says his exploits are all about showing what people with disabilities are capable of.

AMOS, confined to a wheelchair for more than 20 years since a traffic accident, is a
veteran of the 1988 and 1992 Paralympics.

Last year he cycled up Mt Kilimanjaro and reached the snowline at 4,800 metres.

In his latest exploit he left Darwin early last month and in the past five weeks cycled up
to 170km a day to reach Adelaide.

In the process he smashed the world endurance record of 1,400km for travelling by
wheelchair.

AAP RTV tjd/am/jn

KEYWORD: AMOS (ADELAIDE)

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