Athlete needs cash for dreams of gold
A rising Manawatu¯ para athlete’s dreams of gold may be on hold unless he can raise thousands of dollars to get to the world championships.
Feilding shot putter Jack Lewer, 20, dreams of winning gold at the Special Olympics and was thrilled to be one step closer when he was selected to represent New Zealand at the 2019 World Para Athletic Championships in Dubai.
It meant so much more than glory for Lewer – the friendships and achievements he has made at the top levels of his sport have helped transform a shy and nervous intellectually disabled teenager into a confident and independent young man. But his mother, Donna Lewer, is battling stage 4 cancer and the family’s funds are too stretched, as she undergoes chemotherapy, to pay his way to the championships on their own.
Lewer caught the New Zealand selectors’ notice when he won the F20 junior world shot put title at the World Para Athletic Junior Championships in Switzerland in 2017 and he has set a couple of records in his category. F20 is the designation for intellectually impaired athletes competing in the field events.
Lewer’s intellectual disability is the result of a rare genetic syndrome, which also makes him prone to developing small tumour-like growths and means he has to be regularly screened for cancer.
Athletics New Zealand was partially covering Lewer’s costs, but between travel expenses, uniforms and the championship fees, the Lewers will still have to raise $13,500 themselves to get him to Dubai in November. The family were already struggling to find $7000 every three weeks for the unsubsidised chemotherapy drugs Donna Lewer needs, so they have set up a Givealittle page to get Jack to Dubai.
Donna Lewer said she was proud of her son’s achievements. He had grown and learned so much from competing at a high level in athletics, and she didn’t want him to miss out on something that made him happy.
‘‘It’s good for him to have all this going on, especially now.’’
Just two years ago he was so painfully shy, he struggled to bring himself to board the plane to Switzerland with her. But by the end of last year, Lewer was confidently navigating stopovers in Christchurch on his way to a competition in Dunedin by himself, his mother said.
After winning the junior world title, Jack Lewer moved to professional trainers and competed in senior national level events
There aren’t many shot putters at that level in New Zealand, let alone para athletes in Lewer’s category, so they often mix and compete together. He has even competed against his heroes, Kiwi athletic stars Jacko Gill and world champion shot putter Tom Walsh.
Lewer said going head to head with ‘‘the ables’’ and talking to his heroes as a fellow athlete and equal helped build his confidence.
‘‘It’s good to be there with them. ‘‘It also makes me want to throw further and train harder.’’
Just thinking of competing in Dubai brings a huge, boyish grin to his face.
‘‘It’s going to be horribly hot,’’ Lewer said. ‘‘But seeing that stadium it will be just wow.’’
The Lewers have to raise $13,500 themselves to get Jack to Dubai in November.