From paralysis to open water: Jodie Kroone returns to Midmar Mile

BY the time the starting horn sounds at Midmar Dam next month, Jodie Kroone will already have won something far bigger than a medal.

The 31-year-old Durban woman is set to take on the aQuellé Midmar Mile once again — a race she first completed in 2023, six years after a devastating car accident left her with a spinal cord injury and paralysis.

“I couldn’t think of a reason not to participate,” Kroone said simply.

Her journey back to open water began long before her first Midmar. In 2017, her life changed overnight. The early months of recovery were marked by physical and emotional upheaval as she learned new ways of moving and reclaiming her independence.

“I liked having goals and ticking them off as I got stronger,” she explained. “Once my list was somewhat complete, I began looking for new ways to challenge myself and stay active.”

Those new challenges led her to local open-water swims, and eventually to the world’s largest timed open-water swimming event.

From the outset, Kroone was clear about how she wanted to live with her disability.

“From the beginning of my injury, I never wanted to be seen as a victim,” she said. “Trying new things and exploring what works for me is motivation to keep going. There are so many amazing people who want to help and introduce you to sports, adventures and hobbies.

“I always try to say yes to opportunities and keep an open mind. Through this mindset I’ve seen the world is bigger than just me sitting in my wheelchair. I can also share how disability is not scary and hopefully help shift others’ perceptions.”

Sport has become central to that outlook. Alongside swimming, Kroone discovered para-surfing after being introduced to the sport by the Made 4 More Foundation. What began as curiosity quickly turned competitive, and in 2021, she won the KwaZulu-Natal championships.

Yet swimming, she says, remains deeply personal.

She vividly recalls her first open-water race, where she chose to compete in the able-bodied category.

“It was so freeing. I love being in the water,” she said. “Finishing that race and keeping pace with able-bodied swimmers made me realise this was something I wanted to keep doing.”

Competing in a race like Midmar does, however, come with added logistics. Kroone relies on friends and family to help her in and out of the dam, using an old wheelchair at the start and finish. In the water, she swims on her back using a sculling technique that allows her to breathe comfortably and move efficiently.

Recently engaged, Kroone says sport has given her far more than physical conditioning.

“Sport has given me confidence and kept me physically motivated,” she said. Surfing and swimming were passions even before her accident, making it especially meaningful that she continues to pursue them.

As she prepares for the 2026 Midmar Mile, Kroone hopes her presence on the start line sends a message beyond the race itself.

“I think it encourages others to give swimming a try,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be the Midmar Mile, but getting in the water can be a form of therapy for sure.”

The 2026 aQuellé Midmar Mile takes place from 5 to 8 February. Online entries have closed, but swimmers can still enter at the dam on race days and are advised to arrive early. More information is available at www.midmarmile.com.