After cycling to the London 2012 Olympic games, a very fit rickshaw driver is now setting his sights on Brazil.
Chen Guanming Image: Rob Schofield |
Chen Guangming, a retired farmer from China's eastern Jiangsu province, who crossed the globe on a rickshaw, has announced he will continue his epic journey by cycling to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic games. The fighting-fit 57 year-old was handed a free pass to the opening ceremony in honour of his Herculean endeavour and hopes to recreate his success promoting sport worldwide during his next adventure.
Chen began his trip back in April 2010 and travelled through 16 countries over a distance of 40,000km – roughly equivalent to the circumference of the equator! “My vehicle is a rickshaw. It's slow in speed but very convenient”, says Chen, who admitted “I live and eat in this three-wheeled vehicle.” In addition to support from family and friends, the robust retiree helped fund his trip by doing bicycle repairs, carting passengers around and picking up any odd jobs he could find on the road.
For those who missed out on the 2012 Olympic games, there is still a chance to sample a small slice of London. In Suzhou, 200 miles northwest of Shanghai, developers have built a scale replica of London's Tower Bridge as part of a project to recreate the world's most famous architectural landmarks. The collection also includes a Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Alexandre III Bridge and a Dutch area complete with windmills and authentically-styled houses.
If only Chen had known there was a Tower bridge in his native Jiangsu province, he could have saved himself a journey!