Today Newspaper St. Maarten

St. Maarten – With the focus on the visiting wheelchair lawn tennis players who are currently on the island, a few local persons that are physically challenged due to circumstances beyond their control are defying the odds.

Forty four year old Clement Leguez one of those persons that has been getting the attention of the visitors who all have one thing in common, they spend most of their time in a wheel chair of sorts.

Leguez, a son of the soil worked at one of the jewel stores on Front Street prior to his current state where he had one of his legs amputated after it was discovered that he had an infection which was spreading rapidly.

This life changing operation occurred just over two months ago and now, still sore from his operation, Leguez is learning how to place tennis from an ordinary wheel chair at first. “That was very hard for me, because that was the first time I ever played the game much less while sitting,” he said.

However, his growing enthusiasm allowed him to step up his game and with the coaching by Sabine Walraven, he was able to get a better insight of the basics while sitting in a chair specially designed for the sport.

And already, Leguez is thinking outside the box, literally. Instead of staying home in bed or just sitting around, I can learn how to perfect the art of the game. “I know it’s going to be very hard for me at first, but I would like to play as often as possible, maybe, I too can go on to play at a higher level,” he said.

Little does Leguez know, he is standing on the threshold of success and  as long as he continues on the path, he can end up as the first St Maartener to play wheelchair lawn tennis. He too can break the barrier set by the Be Able Committee and be a roll model for the physically challenged on the island.

Leguez breaks barrier by admin