New Zealand amputee takes up the challenge of rowing

From The Marlborough Express in New Zealand:

Rowing is a physically demanding sport at the best of times – but try it with one leg.

That's exactly what Blenheim Rowing Club member and amputee Andrew Jamie (pictured) is doing.

Jamie recently joined the club and is enjoying the challenge of rowing, despite taking an unscheduled dip in the Wairau River earlier this week when his double scull boat caught a crab and tipped over.

The 16-year-old was born with a rare condition, Klipple Treanauny Syndrome, which, put simply, is a vascular malfunction of veins or an excess of veins. Only about 200 people worldwide suffer from it.

In Jamie's case the condition affected his right leg. It considerably weakened the leg and when he broke it three times in a year, he had a difficult decision to make – especially at his young age.

He could either put up with the condition, which would only worsen, or have the leg amputated at the knee.

In arriving at his decision to have the leg amputated in July last year, Jamie had some help from New Zealand's most famous amputee, former Marlborough Sportsperson of the Year and conqueror of Mt Everest, Mark Inglis.

"Mark had a chat with me about amputation and I decided to go through with it.

"He said it's a lot better now the things you can do with prosthetic limbs.

"It was a big decision to get it amputated. I felt quite attached to my leg, as you are, but I saw more positives than negatives."

Inglis has become a mentor for Jamie as he comes to terms with and adapts to life without a right leg.

"Mark has helped me a lot. He thinks it's good to get into a physical activity and have some fun. I'm getting used to it now.

"I still feel my toes sometimes and go to scratch them – then realise I haven't got any.

"If I hadn't had the amputation the leg would not have grown properly anyway."

Even with barely half a leg, Jamie has still managed to break the stump since the amputation, but he's making good progress.

He doesn't need painkillers any more, and the next step is to get a prosthetic limb fitted.

However, Jamie said the doctors might have to cut more off his leg to fit a new limb on.

"At the moment Mark is working on getting me a sponsor to get me a bike so I can cycle out to rowing.

"I've paid my subs at Blenheim so I'm committed for the season."

Having one leg and having just started rowing means he can't propel the boat through the water with the same power as others, but Jamie is confident he can improve significantly, and once a prosthetic leg is fitted, who knows what he can achieve?