The story of Pablo Hempler Villanova (Ibiza, 18-03-1982) is not just any story, but it is the moving story of a lifetime of constant struggle, perseverance in pursuit of their dreams, faith, tenacity, sacrifice, courage and determination.
At the age of 18 Pablo Hempler saw his life dramatically altered when he was tragically left paraplegic and had to learn to live in a wheelchair, after suffering a serious traffic accident while riding a motorcycle, in which the car involved in the fled the scene and was never found.
However, at 39 years of age, Pablo Hempler transmits enthusiasm, optimism and is full of excitement. Today, this Ibizan from a humble family and without insurance to cover the costs of his injury has become the first player on the island of wheelchair basketball that will debut and play in a national category. And he will do so this season from November 6th, when he debuts on the court as a new member of the member of the Majorcan Bàsquet Binissalem squad, a club that competes in the Second National Division and signed him this summer, at the suggestion of his coach, after seeing him play live in a CRiC Ses Salines game in the Balearic League 3×3 wheelchair basketball, and the immense potential that Pablo Hempler has to excel in the world of the basket.
“I’ve been in a wheelchair for 21 years and I’ve always played basketball for leisure. There has never been much adapted sport on the island and that’s why I’ve had to go abroad several times, among many other reasons, to be able to play and experiment with new sports,” says Pablo Hempler, before continuing: “In April I found out that the CRiC Ses Salines had created a wheelchair basketball section for the physically disabled and I went and signed up because I really liked the project and started training with them because I was attracted by the experience and it allowed me to practice basketball at home, on my island, in the place where I am from. I am very grateful to CRiC Ses Salines for having launched the wheelchair team because that was how I could play in the Balearic League basketball 3×3 and thanks to that the CB Binissalem, which also has a team in the Second National League, noticed me. And when the season ended they called me and told me that they were interested in me playing with them in the Second Division team and they signed me.
However, despite the happiness that radiates from Pablo Hempler to see one of his great sporting dreams fulfilled, not everything is a bed of roses for this leader in adapted sport in Ibiza, since to make the leap and be able to play in the national category had to meet some essential requirements, such as having a basketball chair approved by the federation to compete and go to Mallorca to train.
“The problem I had when I started training is that I did not have a wheelchair to play. Because of my spinal injury I can not bend my knees at an angle of ninety degrees, as is normally done in sports chairs, and for that reason, the CRiC Ses Salines had to adapt one as best they could, but it does not meet the standards and is not approved because it is a piece of junk, so to speak, that allows me to train and play, but not in the national category,” says Pablo Hempler, while explaining: “My race to start finding sponsors who could finance a professional sports chair for me, because it is worth a lot of money, began the moment I was signed in the CB Binissalem”.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.