Disability in South Africa may still carry a stigma in most communities, and sometimes confused with inability, but Ipeleng “Crazy Legs” Khunou is one of the few people living with disability who have not allowed their condition to define who they are.
Instead, Khunuo defined himself through running with crutches, and is now an advocate for the unpopular yet fast-growing sport.
Khunou was born with a medical condition called Septo-optic dysplasia, which is a rare brain deformity characterised by a combination of underdevelopment of the optic nerves, abnormal development of the mid-line of the brain, and dysfunction of the pituitary gland.
However, even under the circumstances of growing up in a society where there is a stigma attached towards people living with disabilities, Khunuo did not allow his medical condition to stand in his way of pursuing his goal of being an advocate for running with crutches.
In commemoration of Disability Awareness Month, Khunuo, in partnership with SuperSport and Nedbank, hosted a 2km race in Modderfontein on Friday to amplify the message of inclusivity.
“The race was good, refreshing, especially because I recently recovered from an injury,” Khunou told Sunday World shortly after reaching the finish line.
“But for me to be able to do this on Disability Month with the backing of all the partners that were here to support the cause, I am confident that the stigma and message against disability will be amplified.
“I also hosted this short race to spread the message of inclusivity around our communities, and I think that has been something quite amazing. It is something that for the longest time has been the main reason why I run … to push for a more inclusive world.”
Taking us down memory lane and how he fell in love with running, Crazy Legs said despite his medical condition and using crutches his entire life, he had a normal upbringing as a child.
“Growing up, I was faced with a medical condition which many saw as a disability, but to me, that was my normal because I grew up in a normal childhood,” Khunou said.
“My running journey started in 2016. At the time, I was super overweight. I think I was around 125-120kg, but I had two gym memberships, but I just couldn’t get to the gym because using public transport was a mission, so it was challenging to go to the gym.
“But one morning, I decided, well, let me try this running thing. I then fell in love with it, and the rest is history. I have since competed in the London Marathon and several half-marathons, including the Two Oceans Marathon.”
Explaining how the nickname “Crazy Legs” came about, Khunou said he was bestowed with that name because of his running prowess with his
crutches and doing unbelievable things.
With his training and rehabilitation now in full swing after recovering from an injury, the 38-year-old said his sights are now set on running the Berlin, New York, and Tokyo Marathons, which are all scheduled for next year.
