I saw this article in a NZ paper
I thought it just shows what is possible when you have the desire to go the distance,
Sepie Fights Cancer To Finish Fifth
Perhaps the greatest story however belongs to a man who did not podium but nonetheless finished a superb fifth in his 75 to 79 age category. Christchurch’s Anthony Sepie simply doesn’t know when to quit.
A familiar sight at triathlon and multisport events around the country and in last year’s Contact Energy National Series races, Sepie made the journey to Hamburg despite battling to overcome both leukemia and prostate cancer.
The story of his triumph against adversity doesn’t end there though, as was reported in the Christchurch Star earlier this year.
Sepie can only swim in the ocean, as his skin is too sensitive to handle the chlorine used in indoor pools, which means he’s even out training in the ocean in the middle of winter.
Add to that the bouts of chemotherapy he has for the leukemia every two to three years and the injections required for his prostate cancer (which impede his performances by about 20%), and you wouldn’t blame Sepie if he had packed the sport in years ago.
But as he told the Star’s Matt Smith in March this year, his reasons for taking part are simple.
“It’s an interest and a challenge and you meet very nice people doing it,” he said.
Finishing is a must for Sepie as well.
“Like most triathletes, I don’t like DNFs (did not finish).”
Tri NZ CEO Dave Beeche was thrilled with the results over the weekend, saying the age group racers represent the ‘heart and soul’ of the sport here.
“Much of the focus falls on the elite athletes and their performances, and rightly so from the media’s perspective. But in their own way these age group athletes have all trained just as hard – some perhaps even harder in terms of family and work sacrifice. Their dream may well have been just to be on the start line but for many they proved competitive in huge fields of athletes from all around the world.”
Beeche says the trip and the race will for many be the culmination of a lifetime dream.
“While some are regulars in terms of competing at the World Championships, for many it is the one and only shot at such an event. The stories behind the likes of Anthony Sepie are an inspiration to all New Zealanders to not take a backward step and to fight adversity and in the case of Anthony, ill health.”
“Our sport makes use of every natural resource with the swim, bike and run legs laying the foundation for a good healthy lifestyle. As well as that though comes the camaraderie that our sport engenders, something that came through strongly in Germany with the team all proudly displaying the silver fern and typical Kiwi passion for our country.”
“We are just as proud of them as we are any of our elite athletes who represent the pinnacle of high performance in our sport.”
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