BUS drivers on the Buninyong route want to help Sam Rizzo reach Tokyo.
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They have got to know the young para-athlete well on his journeys about town and pooled their sausage sizzling efforts into a $2000 boost on his ultimate sporting journey, the 2020 Paralympic Games.
Rizzo is the Australian T54 under-18 men’s record holder for 800 metres, a title he captured in a dominant athletics season last summer before heading off to the world para-athletics junior championships in August.
While Rizzo still has a long way to qualifying, his journey has inspired the drivers who have bused the wheelchair racer to school, work and training.
Rizzo and his mum Debbie said the community response to his athletics bids had been incredible – a lot of donations, Freddo Frog sales and comic fundraisers at Heroes HQ helped Rizzo get to world juniors in Switzerland.
Now they could put aside the boost from CDC Ballarat to help with costs on the road to Tokyo.
“These drivers have always been so helpful and accommodating in picking Sam up and taking him wherever he needs to go,” Ms Rizzo said. “Occasionally when it’s raining, they even drive Sam right up to our house. They’re pretty amazing."
Rizzo trains six days a week, between school and work, and is coached by Geelong-based Paralympic 800m champion Richard Colman.
He has another huge summer program mapped out after Christmas and remains a slim chance to make the Commonwealth Games but, with a reduced para-athletics program that does not include his pet event, Tokyo is Rizzo’s main focus.
CDC Ballarat service delivery manager Glenn McKenzie said drivers were inspired by their popular passenger.
“Sam’s travelled a lot of years on the bus, so they all know him,” Mr McKenzie said. “They’ve all been following Sam’s progress around the Paralympics...We have a regular barbecue and drivers think up who could benefit in worthwhile causes – Sam’s name was mentioned a lot.”
CDC Ballarat’s community outreach also delivered 75 children from underprivileged schools to a Western Bulldogs game at Etihad Stadium earlier this year. Most children had never been to an AFL game before.
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