I was confronted with a strong feeling of shame. Here I am, young and able, sitting around while these two, despite their circumstance were doing something no one thought they could. – Alwaleed Alkeaid
To say that the Iron Man triathlon is not for the faint of heart and limbs is an understatement. Athletes would spend years mastering the triumvirate of endurance. So, imagine how much harder it is if you were attempting to do it in nine months? It would be hard to believe that only a year before he competed in the Iron Man triathlon, Alwaleed Alkeaid was a self-professed couch potato. Growing up in Riyadh, Alkeaid was a hardcore online gamer, his thumbs had more exercise than him.
STUFF PHOTO/ MOHAMMED DEGHAISHM
For his post-graduate studies, Alkeaid was sent to Canada, where he would initially spend his time shifting from one degree to another. His life as a Saudi student was according to him, typical. Little did he know that one day, he would stumble across a video that would change his life. It was about the Hoyt team. A father and quadriplegic son who were joining races, including the Iron Man triathlon together. The father would swim, bike and cycle while pulling or carrying his son.
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