Sampie Erasmus Competes in X Games

KLERKSDORP, SOUTH AFRICA – Sampie Erasmus made the trip from South Africa to compete in the 2010 ESPN X Games Moto X Super X Adaptive on his specially modified CRF250X.  Erasmus is a T4 paraplegic who is confined to a wheelchair at all times, with the exception of when he is riding his dirt bike.  "This is the only thing that I can really do without a wheelchair.  I can play wheelchair basketball, but it doesn’t give me the same rush as this," said Erasmus who broke his back competing in the 2004 Nationals in South Africa.

Erasmus recently won the 2010 Extremity Games Limb-Difference Gold medal at Baja Acres motocross facility in Michigan, May 29, 2010, following his 2009 Extremity Games Bronze win.  He competed in the 2009 X Games where he was named the Most Valuable Rider.  "I was the 2nd paraplegic over the line, and 6th place overall at last year’s X Games," explained Erasmus.  "This year there will be two sets of medals for the Adaptive Moto X between the limb-loss and the limb-difference class.  It should add more excitement with a race inside a race."

"I am super excited, all charged up and ready to go!" said Erasmus.  "The hardest part will be the start.  I need a good start.  I will be on the line with 450’s and I only have a 250, plus I have to have someone hold me up on the line, and we have to be perfectly balanced to get a good start."

The Adaptive Moto-X games will be held on Thursday, July 29, 2010 at the L.A. Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA.  For a schedule of the 2010 Summer X-Games visit http://espn.go.com/action/xgames

You Tube Video about Sampie Erasmus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LoXHGXm2bk

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