Six Countries Represented in the 2014 Kessler Foundation Wheelchair 10K
On a beautiful Memorial Day, some of the most elite racers in the world competed in the 14th Annual Kessler Foundation Wheelchair 10K—the wheelchair division of the Fred d’Elia Ridgewood Run. Racers competed for a total purse of $10,000. Twenty-three racers represented six countries, including Canada, Nigeria, Spain, Columbia, Costa Rica, and the United States.
Alexandre Dupont, from Quebec, Canada, won the Men’s Open division with a time of 22 minutes and 11 seconds. Injured in a motorcycle accident where he lost his right leg when he was 17 years old, Dupont watched a televised wheelchair racing event from the 2004 Paralympics. Now 28 years old, celebrating the tenth year of his racing career, he is a Paralympian and broke the Canadian record in the 100-meter sprint. “Winning today was really nice,” said Dupont. “But even when I don’t win, it’s great to talk to my fellow competitors and have fun while enjoying the weather.” In addition to his racing career, Dupont and his wife own a business in which they build adaptive sports equipment for people with physical disabilities. Last year's winner, Laurens Molina, from Costa Rica, was runner-up with a time of 22.49 minutes.
Chelsea Crytzer, from Parsippany, NJ, clinched the Women’s Open division in 33.29 minutes. The 23-year-old has been racing for 13 years and has competed in the Kessler Foundation Wheelchair 10K in every year of her career. This was her first time winning her division in the Foundation’s 10K. “I love racing, especially long-distance competitions,” said Crytzer. “I feel in the zone and everything else is off of my mind.” When she’s not racing, she attends college and is pursuing her degree in environmental biology.
Santiago Sanz, 33, from Alicante, Spain, won the Open Quad division for the fifth consecutive year with a time of 25 minutes and five seconds. He has won his division every time he has competed in the Foundation’s 10K. A Paralympian and considered one of the fastest wheelchair racers in the world who has limited use of his arms and hands, Sanz also has a wife and two daughters.
Antonio Noguiera, from Glen Ridge, NJ, edged out Hildebrando Botero, from Columbia, to clinch the Male Masters division—for ages 40 and over—with a time of 24.11 minutes. The 46-year-old is also a Paralympian and long-time friend of Kessler Foundation as one of the original members of the WheelBlazers—an adult wheelchair racing team sponsored by the Foundation. He is also an artist, art teacher, and father of two sons.
Carlos Guzman, 64, from Corona, NY, won the Grandmasters division in 31 minutes and 20 seconds. This was his first victory in the Grandmasters category—for ages 50 and over.
Jerson Calderone, from Hillsdale, NJ, won the E*Athlete Male division—for racers between 19 and 21 years old—with a time of 30.36 minutes. The 19-year-old is a member of the North Jersey Navigators, an adaptive sports team for junior athletes with disabilities sponsored, in part, by Kessler Foundation. The Navigators compete in regional, national, and international competitions.
Matthew Tohon, 17, from Linden, NJ, and Elisabet Ruiz-Torres, 16, from Hackettstown, NJ, completed the 10K course in 30.36 minutes and 39.22 minutes respectively to clinch the Male and Female Junior divisions—for athletes under 19 years of age. It was the first time that Tohon and Ruiz-Torres competed in the Kessler Foundation Wheelchair 10K.
The Kessler Foundation Wheelchair 10K is one of the largest integrated races in the country as runners and wheelchair athletes compete on the same course at the same time. Like Kessler Foundation on Facebook to see the 2014 Wheelchair 10K photos. View the complete results
