Wayne Sanders,

a Peachtree City resident who has become one of the top handcyclists in

the nation, has just finished another successful year.

After placing

third or fourth in most of the races during his first year, Sanders won

his division in all nine races, became an athlete representative for the

United States Handcycling Federation and traveled to Europe to compete

against some of the world's best handcyclists.

Handcycles

are operated by a hand crank and can reach top speeds of 35 miles per

hour, though on level ground they top off at approximately 18 mph.

Sanders, 41,

injured his spinal cord in 1978. He was a student/cheerleader at Georgia

Tech who got hurt before a game between Tech and Duke. He rehabilitated

at the Shepherd Center for Spinal Cord Injuries in Atlanta and returned

to school soon afterward. Sanders attempted wheelchair racing but has

been riding handcycles for about three years.

Initially,

handcycles gave him a way to get back into shape and have fun with his

family. He improved and grew more serious about the sport as he continued

to ride. Eventually, his competitive nature came out and he started looking

for races to ride in. He found them, raced in them, and wanted to get

better and stronger.

Sanders rides

approximately 100 miles a week, lifts weights at World Gym in Peachtree

City and is an advocate of the sport. He and several other riders went

to Europe this fall to foster support for the addition of Handcycling

as a medal sport in the 2004 Paralympics.

"Right

now, they are actually trying to take some of the more redundant events

out of the Paralympics," said Sanders. "There's a 50-50 chance

we'll be in Athens 2004. If not, handcycling will definitely be there

in 2008. The question is, will I?"

Odds are that

he will be. Sanders is very dedicated to the sport. He won a bronze medal

in a time trial in the European Disabled Cycling Championships and placed

fourth in the road race. The U.S. athletes won five gold medals, four

silver medals and 10 bronze medals in Europe, placing second overall.

Germany won the most medals in the championships. There were more than

just handcyclists at the event. There were amputee riders, cyclists with

cerebral palsy and blind riders, who ride tandem with a pilot.

"It was

amazing over there," remarked Sanders. "Before heading to Switzerland,

we raced in Rotterdam. There were 100 handcyclists. In the U.S., we're

lucky to get 40." Sanders placed seventh in the race in Rotterdam.

Though the

sport has become more popular, the races in which Sanders participates

in the U.S. aren't swelling with new participants.

"A lot

of people don't have the support of sponsors and can't travel around the

country from race to race," said Sanders. "If they make the

race in Chicago, they may not be able to make the race in Austin."

Sanders has

benefited from the help of several sponsors, including Ravin Homes, ATC

Mortgage, Craig Automotive and World Gym. He and USHF officials are hoping

to add more regional races. With more races close to home, people will

be able to be introduced to the sport and sponsorships and promoters may

become more plentiful.

The handcycling

season is over until the Lance Armstrong Criterium in Austin, Texas in

April. Sanders will kick off the season a little earlier with a race in

Brooks, Ga. in March. He will attend the races that he has attended the

past several years, only this time as a target for all the other racers.

In August, Sanders will head to Altenstadt, Germany for the World Disabled

Cycling Championships, hoping to contend for a title and improve from

his last stint across the pond.

For information

on handcycling visit the Web site, www.ushf.org . The Shepherd Center

has a handcycling club that meets on Saturdays. For information on the

club, visit www.shepherd.org .

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