Brent Van Der Kelen (28) from Gooik was paralyzed after an accident in 2019 and will be in a wheelchair forever. But the young man does not give up and wants to move forward in life. Giving up is not in his dictionary. Brent wants to shine in G badminton at the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
“Before my accident I was very sporty and participated in athletics. I have been running for years, trained many hours and kilometers and achieved great results. From the beginning I had in mind that I wanted to practice a sport again and see how far I could get in it. That’s how I ended up playing badminton. This was a completely different direction, but I thought it was cool to do something completely different. I have now been training for about 3 years and I have made it a goal to try to select myself for the Paralympic Games in 2028. This will not be an easy goal, but one that will help me move forward in life, give me satisfaction and for which I will do anything.” says Brent.
“Of course there is also a downside. I will have to train a lot and I will also have to play foreign tournaments in order to be selected and get points for the games. That will also cost a lot. I am thinking of airline tickets, hotel costs, tournament registration fees, materials.”
Jogging club Oetingen and numerous Gooik associations are stepping up and raising money to help Brent realize his dream.
“I am extremely grateful that Jogging Club Oetingen, in collaboration with numerous Gooik associations, is willing to support me in this. The various actions will make my costs more bearable and perhaps help me achieve my goal. Thank you in advance to everyone who supports this project. Thank you to everyone who contributes and especially a big thank you to everyone who believes in me.”
Run To Go Olympic
“Athlete Brent Van Der Kelen, like his family, has been a loyal member of Jogging Club Oetingen for many years. We got to know Brent as a silent worker. He is the man of few words, but many actions. His inner strength always propels him to exceptional performances. Iron discipline, a positive mindset and a golden heart characterize him completely.” said chairman Tom Amijs. “Brent cherishes a wonderful Olympic dream. He wants to participate in the Olympic Games in LA ’28 as a G badminton player. Achieving this sporting dream requires a lot of training effort from the athlete, but also a huge personal budget. For example, the mandatory participation in numerous international tournaments in the preparation for LA ’28 costs a small fortune. Jogging club Oetingen and Brent have therefore joined forces in the ‘Run to Go Olympic’ project.”
The first campaign, the Oetings spring car wash last Saturday, raised 1,075 euros. And thanks to sponsorship by local entrepreneurs and support from people who care about the project, the counter currently stands at 4,275 euros.
There are several more actions on the agenda in the coming months.
“On June 29, 2024, JC Oetingen, together with the other Oeting associations, is organizing a fun running event with culinary stalls and a steamy afterparty. And the profit from our classic Dwars door Oetingen, which will take place on August 25, 2024, will go entirely to Brent’s Olympic Project. We hope that the activities will hopefully raise a lot of euros. Everyone is already welcome. “
The following associations support the project: JC Oetingen, Gooik Sportief, SK Oetingen, Café ‘t Vijfde Wiel, Scouts Aurora Oetingen, Oud-Scouts Oetingen, Okra, VC ‘t Groenewoud, Oetingse Kookvrienden, Femma, Oetingse Pentanqueclub, VZW Parochiale Works and the municipality of Gooik.
2024-03-27 14:39:17
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