Inspiring stories earn athletes a spot at the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon

The winners of the triathlon's "Inspire" competition awards athletes with motivational stories a place at the event, which is sold-out this year.

Hollie Cradduck was among the winners of this year’s Abu Dhabi International Triathlon Inspire Competition. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority

Abu Dhabi // A former professional rugby player with a heart transplant, an inspirational Ironman, a Chilean triathlete with a kind heart and a Spanish paratriathlete.

These are some of the winners of this year’s Abu Dhabi International Triathlon “Inspire” competition.

Now in its second year, the competition urges athletes with motivational stories to share their experiences for the chance to win a place at the triathlon.

Wouter Duinisveld caught the judge’s attention because of his sheer determination to not let his life-threatening illness stop him from realising his dreams.

A former professional rugby player who regularly competed in marathons, Duinisveld find out that a viral infection had reduced his heart function to less than 15 per cent in a mere two weeks and he was told he would survive only by having a heart transplant.

“I couldn’t do anything any more. My body lost its power and I needed to teach myself how to sit, stand and walk again,” Duinisveld said.

He then suffered four heart attacks, reducing his heart function to only 5 per cent before he received the transplant.

“It took me two years to mentally and physically recover, but two and a half years later I was at the finish line of my first sprint triathlon.”

Duinisveld’s 2014 goal is to complete Ironman Frankfurt and he hopes the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon will be the ideal preparation ahead of his ultimate challenge.

A member of the Spanish triathlon team, Jairo Ruiz is one of Europe’s best paratriathletes. Last year, he won the paratriathlon male TRI-4 discipline at the ITU World Triathlon in Madrid, placed third in the European Championships and sixth in the World Championships. Ruiz also became a member of the Spanish triathlon national team and is working towards the Para-triathlon at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.

Hollie Cradduck made it her lifetime goal to become an Ironman.

In September last year, she completed the Wales Triathlon in 14 hours and 5 minutes, but after crossing the finish line, Ms Cradduck discovered that her 19-year-old niece, Rosie, had died while supporting her in the crowd.

“Twelve members of my family had come out to support me that weekend and were faced with this horrific tragedy on what was meant to be the best day of my life. We are all still grieving but personally, it made it the best and worst day of my life,” Ms Cradduck said.

She has made a new lifetime goal and promise to Rosie; to get to the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii in 2015, competing in her honour.

“I need to cut at least two and a half hours off my time to even think about qualifying. Cutting this amount of time off in one year is no easy feat but, with Rosie’s spirit, her constant pride in me and the support of my family, friends and followers, I hope to make this dream possible,” she said.

Ms Cradduck will chart her progress at this year’s Abu Dhabi International Triathlon and is fundraising for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy throughout her journey.

The week ahead of the Grand Concepcion Marathon in 2013, Chilean triathlete Felipe Aguayo heard through social media of a child, Alonso Catalan, who suffered from medullary aplasia.

“I decided to compete in the Grand Concepcion Marathon and try to win it for Alonso so I could donate the US$500 (Dh1,836) prize money to his cause and hopefully use the opportunity to catapult his story into the public domain, to encourage others to help him receive the funds for treatment,” Aguayo explained.

“I wanted to show that sometimes we have to seek inspiration within ourselves and not think about the money, rather doing it for the passion and joy it brings.”

On the day of the event, despite it being his first marathon, he finished in first place. Sadly, Alonso passed away that very same week and so he never had the chance to meet him. However, Aguayo ensured the money still reached his family to assist with his funeral.

“I am continuing to use sport as a channel to change lives and help others and I hope my story inspires others to do the same,” he said.

All the “Inspire” winners recieve return economy flights to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways, four nights’ accommodation at the Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana, and free entry to the event.

This year Abu Dhabi International Triathlon marks its fifth anniversary with its first sold-out event. A line-up of 2,400 triathletes from 68 countries are expected to converge on Abu Dhabi Corniche on March 15 making it one of the world’s 20 largest triathlons.