Throughout the Paralympics we have celebrated the achievements of disabled athletes at our races. Our final athlete is Peter Fabian. If you ran the 2020 Aldi Chester 10K, you’ll have seen Peter’s team, pushing Peter in his wheelchair around the course. Peter is well-known in sporting circles in Chester but following a stroke 6 years ago, he is no longer mobile. That was never going to stop him though & his wife Deri explains why.

"Peter has been a sportsman all his life – rowing, rugby, football, squash, hockey, cycling, running, swimming and combined triathlon – loved it all and the competitive element! The camaraderie and the physical and mental health has been life giving and sustaining.

A stroke age 60 nearly 6 years ago has left him needing support with mobility and all his communication – every day is tough and touched by loss. But, he never gives up; he’s quite extraordinary.

What really floats his boat is being with people – the connection of the human spirit.

In 2020 a team of friend volunteers raced the Chester 10k, pushing Peter in his manual wheelchair around at speed! He walked over the finish line with a huge smile and sense of achievement along with his team of wonderful friend enablers.  The determination he dug deep to find, to be rattled and battered around bumpy roads at the mercy of others was no mean feat!  He was able to inspire and encourage others to find different ways to keep going, that there is hope in life and to live it to the full in whatever way that means; doing this with a group of wonderful friends encouraged him again in all such things, along with his personal faith in God which gives him strength, hope and courage.  

It came about by the encouragement of Linda and Mark Worrall, who themselves had fundraised a huge amount to support Peter’s physio with Ironman events, raised for & through the charity https://www.actsonline.uk/ The 10k was able to raise money for ACTS and therefore others in return.

Watch this space – he would be up for another event, a goal to look forward to that inspires himself and others. He would say, “keep going!”