Ironman competitor with cerebral palsy gears up for World Championships

Brothers Brent and Kyle Pease are following their dreams of competing at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii

Ironman is the world's most illustrious triathlon, characterised by a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and the 'usual' 26 mile marathon. The qualification standards are rigorous at the best of times, but after much correspondence, two brothers from the United States were finally permitted to compete. 

Brent and Kyle Pease live in Georgia, and will participate in the Ironman World Championships, which commence on October 13th. Their transition to the top of the triathlon world has not been easy, however.

Kyle has a rare form of cerebral palsy, and hopes to inspire others to fight for their dreams regardless of what obstacle lies ahead.

During the Ironman competition, Brent will pull Kyle along in an inflatable kayak during the swim. During the bike event, Kyle will lie on his back at the front while Brent pedals in the rear. For the marathon, Brent will push Kyle, who will be seated in a racing wheelchair.

Credit: CNN The inspirational brothers have shared their thoughts ahead of this year's event.

Brent Pease:

“When the casual observer asks, and you say Ironman, they automatically go to Kona; the hardest one-day endurance challenge on the planet... I saw in my first race what Kyle has dealt with his entire life. There are things that are easy to deal with, there are things that are hard and challenging and Ironman condenses that into one day. After the first day, Kyle borrowed my legs and I borrowed his spirit… He’s being treated just like everyone else [as a triathlete] and that was what we were really trying to tap into.”

Kyle Pease:

“I have cerebral palsy. My specific disability is called Spastic Quadriplegia cerebral palsy, so it affects all four of my limbs. We sat down, and I started asking him a lot of questions. And, the last question I asked was can people in wheelchairs do ironman? Brent was like “yes”. Little did I know, that’s when the journey was going to begin. I just get to show people that, if you believe in something and you want to do it, go after it. Don’t let anything stop you from achieving what you want to be in life. I just hope that it will show people that anything is truly possible.

The Kyle Pease Foundation, founded in 2011 aims to improve the lives of the disabled through sports.