Merwen Mellet has returned from the seventh Winter World Transplant Games in France with three medals. Mellet, who recently turned 60, was South Africa’s sole competitor at the games in Resort Sainte-Foy, an event which attacted some 250 competitors from 19 countries.
This was also the first time that a South African has competed at the Winter World Transplant Games.
Mellet had a double lung transplant in June 2007 and immediately joined the SA Transplant Sports Association. The father of four sons, he became an extremely proficient snow skier.
In France he took part in four disciplines, taking bronze in slalom, super giant and parallel slalom. It could have been four bronzes after he missed a medal by four seconds in the giant slalom.
It must also be noted that the skiers who medalled in his events all grew up in countries associated with regular winter snow.
Mellet, from Durbanville in the Western Cape, will no doubt have his sights set on the next Winter Transplant Games, to be held at Anzere, Switzerland in 2012.
Article Source: http://www.sascoc.co.za/
