2014 Para-Cycling Road World Championships Coming To Greenville

Greenville has landed another significant cycling event as the Para-Cycling Road World Championships will come to the city in the summer of 2014.

The organizer says he was impressed with the fact that Greenville and the Upstate have the structure in place to hold such a race.

About 700 para, or disabled, cyclists and support staff will be part of the competition and the city will use funds from a tourism tax as well as sponsors to finance its end of the deal.

The actual course and some other details are still to be determined.

7 on your side spoke with a para cyclist about the event and how big an impact he believes it will have on the region.

You can try but you won''t be able to keep up with para-cyclist Bryant Young. Young lost his leg in an accident nearly 30 years ago.

But that hasn't stopped him from achieving his goals including cycling up Paris Mountain.

"Everyday I wake up I look down I still have one leg, but I still get up and I keep going," Young said.

And it's that attitude and Young's love of staying active that has him excited about the 2014 para-cycling World Championships coming to Greenville

Organizers say the Para-Cycling Championship is expected to bring nearly 500 athletes from around the world to Greenville.

Young says the impact of the event will be far reaching.

a benefit to the local economy and a way to show the world the city of Greenville...

"That's a huge focus on Greenville," Young said.

He also says it's an event that will inspire people.

"They'll see someone who is similar to them and that may just give them the extra push to just jump in the pool, to pick up a cane and go walking, to hit a ball in Cleveland Park, to throw a frisbee," Young said.

Young is one of the top ten para-cyclists in the country but he doesn't consider himself an inspiration.

He says one of the most powerful stories you'll hear is of wounded soldiers becoming elite para-cycling athletes.

"Here's someone who is sacrificing their life for you and you think it would be enough just to live and yet they want to do more, they want to represent their country that inspiring stuff," Young said.

Inspiring stuff Young says he hopes will draw big crowds and new para-cycling fans.

The event last five days and is scheduled to run through Labor Day weekend 2014.