2 June 1994 Surgery for New Zealand Paralympian

Major surgery will put a leading New Zealand wheelchair racer out of action for a year.

Evan Clulee, a 22-year-old Paralympian from Waikouaiti, north of Dunedin, will undergo surgery in June to straighten his spine. The Lincoln University student developed scoliosis (curvature of the spine) when he was 12.

"Doctors thought my back had stabilised at 90 degrees in 1988 and that I'd stopped growing but last year I was getting short of breath and now it is at a 143 degree angle. The normal range is 0 to 20 degrees," says Evan.

"I knew something was wrong because I was pinching nerves in my spine which was very painful. Doctors think they can straighten the spine to 40 degrees as my spine is quite mobile and I have now stopped growing."

The surgery, which requires a rod to be put in the spine and will increase Evan's height by five inches, could help him achieve more in his sport.

"I am mainly getting the operation done from a sporting view but I would probably have to get it done sooner or later. It means a year off wheelchair racing, but a guy from Melbourne had the operation three years ago and now he is the world record-holder in the 100m and 200m grades," says Evan.

Evan is already a high achiever in wheelchair racing. He represented New Zealand twice as a junior in Australia, winning six golds in 1985 and a gold and a bronze in 1987.

His greatest achievement to date has been representing New Zealand in the Paralympic team in Barcelona in 1992. He broke the world record in the 400m track event along with four others in the semi-finals, and reached the semi-finals of his other events - the 100m, 200m and 800m.

Evan says he was disappointed not to reach the 100m finals. "It was my No.1 event and I hadn't done a time that bad for two years. I had a huge head wind and I was one of the lightest competitors there and had one of the lightest chairs. "If I'd had a tail wind I would have been all right."

Evan started wheelchair racing ten years ago when he was offered a turn in an adult's chair and beat a woman whom he respected as a good athlete.

"I was a bit of a speed freak and racing was more exciting than swimming. I had to sacrifice swimming as I could only take one sport to an international level because of the hours involved in training," says Evan.

The wheelchair racing season runs from November to the nationals in Easter, and Evan trains between six and ten hours a week on average.

Interest in sport - Evan also plays tennis and basketball - led him to Lincoln University where he is doing his third year of a Bachelor of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management degree.

"Originally I wanted to work in the recreation field and this is the best degree around. I had inhibitions about coming to Lincoln as it was my first time away from home. However, I had a few friends with disabilities who had been there and liked it."

Evan first lived in one of the halls of residence at the University before moving into a campus flat. After completing his degree he hopes to work with children with physical disabilities to help improve their lives.

Evan, who was born with spina bifida and is classified as a Grade T3 for track racing, which means he cannot use his stomach or back muscles effectively, says the only drawback to his condition is people's attitudes.

"Some people mistake you for being intellectually disabled as well. I believe God has given me talents to use and I want to use them to the maximum potential. I am a very highly motivated person and I want to be successful in life."

Evan has completed a Diploma of Recreation and Sport through the CCS. He is also involved with its Junior Sports programme, coaching children aged eight to 14 with disabilities.

His main goal now is competing in the 1996 Paralympics.  He is working on an $18,000 sponsorship proposal for the build-up to the games.

"Wheelchair racing isn't a big sport so it is hard to get sponsors. I want to win gold in the 100m and break the world record at the 1996 games. Last year at the nationals I went under the world record but the time was unofficial."

While recovering from his operation, Evan will miss the world championships in Berlin, the Far East and South Pacific Games in Beijing and the Victoria Games in Canada.

''I'd like to go to these but if I put the operation off any longer I might jeopardise my chances of getting into the 1996 team," says Evan.

"I hope to keep racing a long time and make the team for the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney. There I'll be at my peak age for wheelchair racing and I want to perform really well."

Community Relations Centre, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.