RE: Another prize for Zanardi

RE: Another prize for Zanardi

Thursday 3rd January 2013

Another prize for Zanardi

Italian hero wins further praise for paralympic efforts



Even against some equally deserving fellow nominees Alex Zanardi was a clear favourite in the PH Awards for hero of the year. The comments from PHers say it all: "Zanardi - it's easy to be a hero when everything is going your way. It's not when you've been dealt a bad hand. A truly inspirational man," said PHer V8RX7 in one typical post on the thread that followed the nomination. "To get an Olympic gold medal in something so separated from what was previously his field of expertise takes an enormous mountain of grit and a big belly full of fire," agreed Papa Hotel - just two of many posts backing Zanardi in the four-page thread.

A humbling lesson in triumph over adversity
A humbling lesson in triumph over adversity
It's not just PHers either. Zanardi's efforts have earned him further recognition too, the International Paralympic Committee awarding his two golds and one silver in the H4 handcycle events the accolade of number one moment in the 2012 Paralympic Games. In a games arguably even more emotionally charged than the Olympics, for Zanardi to be singled out among many heart rending moments perhaps underlines his inspirational approach to dealing with life-changing injuries.

Indeed, it was the choice of Brands Hatch as the venue for the handcycle events that inspired Zanardi to compete, having also raced here in his driving career and scored podiums in Formula 3000 and World Touring Cars. "Motorsport should be my speciality, not so much handcycling," he says in a press release from Brands Hatch, "but when they announced that the handcycling was going to take place at Brands Hatch it was one of the crucial things that emotionally made me think 'yeah this is my place'. In reality you know that the tarmac you're covering is the same for every one of us but it felt certainly more special."

Anyone doubting Zanardi's inspirational qualities and humility need only read further though. "When in 2001 I had the great accident, at that point it certainly didn't seem to be one of the greatest opportunities of my life," he says, with considerable understatement. "But looking back over the last 11 years, I have to say that my accident has become one of the greatest opportunities of my life. It's at the top of the scale with many other great moments I've been lucky enough to live."

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

CampDavid

Original Poster:

9,145 posts

197 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
He expresses everything that's good about motorsport with none of the bad. A frankly amazing guy

heightswitch

6,316 posts

249 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
A truly inspirational man.

mustard tab

293 posts

176 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
heightswitch said:
A truly inspirational man.
nuff said

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

264 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Total hero.

dublet

283 posts

210 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
It's not just that, it's him doing things like this: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport...

Steve vRS

4,828 posts

240 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
I wish I had 1% of his drive and determination.

Steve

g3org3y

20,589 posts

190 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Steve vRS said:
I wish I had 1% of his drive and determination.
yes

Should be a role model for everyone.

Watchman

6,391 posts

244 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
dublet said:
It's not just that, it's him doing things like this: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport...
I wish Alex Zanardi was my friend. I could use some of his infectious enthusiasm for life in my own life.

budgie smuggler

5,351 posts

158 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
dublet said:
It's not just that, it's him doing things like this: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport...
clap top bloke

aka_kerrly

12,415 posts

209 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
A genuinely heart warming tale.

I still find it amazing that not only has he been able to race a car again using prosthetic legs (sure I read he designed them himself) he was able to take up a new sport which requires a complete redevelopment of ones strengths to then win at Olympic level within barely a couple of years.



StottyZr

6,860 posts

162 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all

Scoobyshue

226 posts

161 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
StottyZr said:
Bit dusty in here guys
Think I have something in my eye too. What an absolute hero.

murphy968

24 posts

188 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Just read the article about the Venice Marathon and then watched the finish on Youtube. My word. I don't often get a tear in my eye, but that is just astonishing.

161BMW

1,697 posts

164 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
True hero :-)

binnerboy

486 posts

149 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
StottyZr said:
bit dusty here too

amazing !

irocfan

40,152 posts

189 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
161BMW said:
True hero :-)
over-used for most sportsmen - but in this case spot on!!

SR20

133 posts

137 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Very inspirational. That want to keep going. So much respect for that man.

Bluebottle

3,498 posts

239 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Total hero!

patmahe

5,743 posts

203 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
An absolute legend - the last paragraph made my hair stand on end. If only we could all view our own problems in this way. What an inspirational man.

Happy Eater

438 posts

194 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
What a man!
Inspirational