E58 - Fanie van der Merwe, The Paralympic Sprinting Champion

Fanie Van De Merwe is a multiple Paralympic Champion in track sprinting, with three Gold medals to his name across a career that saw him make three Paralympic Games. Fanie grew up with cerebral palsy but competed alongside able-bodied athletes until a coach suggested he focus on disability sport when he was 17.

Fanie and his brother Chris now run a Christian non-profit called Inspired 2 Become, focusing on alternative action sports and athletes with disabilities and Fanie coaches visually and intellectually impaired children.

Danno caught up with Fanie at his home in South Africa to talk about his journey to faith alongside his long career at the top of Paralympic sprinting.

(01:07) How do your sport and faith connect?
(02:57) Competing with able-bodied children at school and discovering disability sport
(05:13) Athens 2004 and the start of Paralympic ambitions
(09:11) How did faith play out as you trained to win at Beijing 2008
(12:33) How did you come to faith?
(16:11) Seeing God as a father
(19:46) Winning Gold at Beijing 2008
(23:48) Defending Gold at London 2012 but facing disappointment in the 200m
(26:18) How identity in Christ shaped Fanie's perception of pressure & disappointment
(29:47) Rio 2016 and retirement
(34:34) Inspired to Become and supporting disabled young people