Wheelchair bodybuilding liberated me from my limitations, says Shaun Butler

JOHANNESBURG – South African wheelchair bodybuilder Shaun Butler scooped the bronze medal from the Physical Culture Association (PCA) World Championships in Spain.

The championships were held on 19 November.

“It was a spectacular event, and placing third in the mixed disability category was awesome. I feel that all the hard work to get there paid off,” said Butler.

When _Eyewitness News _spoke to him ahead of the World Championships, Butler like most athletes in the country, needed financial assistance to raise the flag high and he was fortunate to receive the much-needed sponsorship.

“For my trip to Spain, I have had wonderful support and sponsorships. Mr Zunaid Moti with the Moti Moves Foundation as one of the biggest contributors to this trip made it possible for me to go, and for that I cannot thank them enough."

Butler told _Eyewitness News _that sponsorships for athletes are critical as the costs of travelling and accommodation are quite expensive, along with all the expenses connected with the sport and preparation.

“Unfortunately, sporting federations in South Africa struggle to make ends meet and private companies have to step in to help us get to the events."

Butler said his sponsors also helped him get more disabled persons involved and interested in this sport "by showcasing that it can be done locally and internationally."

The athlete, who was chosen by PCA South Africa, took up bodybuilding in 2022 and has since made his mark in the sporting code.

He said watching his brother compete as a bodybuilder made him want to see what he could do on the stage.

“In the sport of bodybuilding, every athlete goes through their own prep with the diet and training. But it needs to be taken into consideration that there are so many things that disabled individuals need to manage over and above the normal, that it can sometimes be extremely daunting and overwhelming.”

He has also learned that every athlete experiences the same emotional, physical, and emotional toll - irrelevant of disability.

“I am looking into a new route with different federations with the assistance of my friend Marco Pietrowski, representative of WCBB (Wheelchair Bodybuilding), to get qualified for Olympia and Arnold stages - the biggest stages in the world of bodybuilding. I would like to participate in those federations and stages as they are the biggest wheelchair bodybuilding divisions in the world.”

A motorcycle accident in 2014 left the athlete paralysed. He had been part of a charitable motorcycle ride when he hit an oil spill on a winding hill. He crashed his T3/4 vertebrae and dislocated his T5/6 vertebrae.

“The aftermath of my accident ignited a fervent passion for fitness that defied all odds. It granted me a newfound sense of freedom and inclusion. Exploring various sports, from hand cycling to CrossFit, I uncovered a passion that liberated me from my limitations.”