Deaf Olympic swimmer Terence Parkin with his partner Wayne Riddin after a tough hot first stage of The Unlimited Dusi. Photo: Darren Goddard/Gameplan Media
Swimming star Terence Parkin dug deep and finished the first stage of the Unlimited Dusi Canoe Marathon with his partner Wayne Riddin, who was struggling with a calf strain picked up in last weekend’s Midmar Mile.
The deaf Olympic swimmer didn’t need his pool prowess once during the 42km first stage, as he and Riddin, the boss of the Midmar Mile, navigated the medium-low level uMsindusi river comfortably enough, struggling more with the 36 degree heat than the rapids.
“The water was good. All the rapids that we wanted to shoot were clear. But that last hour with the heat!” said Riddin.
The pair had a nervy start as Parkin arrived at Camps Drift very late.
“I was almost ready to get out my single (K1), which I wasn’t keen on doing, but I don’t think I would have done a time like this if it wasn’t for him. A time of four hours and 20 minutes is not bad for my level of fitness.”
The pair have developed a special understanding in the boat that transcends Parkin’s inability to hear.
“I can’t communicate with Terence. He just supports me at the back,” said Riddin.
“I did the race with someone I didn’t know last year and we swam a lot, it was frustrating,” said Parkin.
“Wayne and I work much better together. I can’t communicate with him so I try to provide the power from the back.”
