CANBERRA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- They came from different backgrounds: students, engineers, chefs and even some with cerebral palsy. They ran, cycled, sweated and laughed in the sun, as the Proximity Canberra Triathlon Festival on Saturday became a big party for them.
"You can do all the different sports in one event. It's a good challenge," said 21-year-old Jarrod Osborne who just won a gold medal. This is the first time he took part in such an event, before which he received training for a couple of months.
"It's good to say like the training paid off," he said.
This year's Canberra Triathlon Festival stands out as a special one, with the participation of about 500 people, including those with movement disorders, according to Hew Colless, the marketing and communications manager.
He would use the word "DRYathlon" due to the blue-green algae and "disappointing" water level after the bushfires and rainstorms. "The water is not at a level that the government allows people to swim in," said Colless.
However, there were a few highlights. They had shared bicycles for participants, as some lost theirs in the bushfire.
This year, nine competitors that have cerebral palsy took part in the event. "We welcome them with open arms. It's actually the very first time in Australia this has ever happened. So that in itself is super exciting," Colless said.
All the nine competitors in green T-shirt finished their challenges, some with chest-support walker, winning applause from audiences.
Among them, 13-year-old Hannah O'Malley just finished her 2-km running and was taking a sip of water in her wheelchair.
"It's good," she beamed, apparently satisfied with her own performance. "I can get more exercise. It gives me the fitness that I need."
Her dad Ed O'Malley said the activity was beneficial for her daughter who has cerebral palsy. "She likes to do exercises and it's good for her health."
Alex Wilson, an occupational therapist and exercise physiologist, was the one who helped those competitors prepare for the game in the past few months.
"We did some strength training to get them ready for it," he said. The eldest participant in the team was 55 years old while the rest were between 10 and 17.
"Hopefully this turns into a regular sport, and they can get out same as you and me on the weekend and go for a run or a ride."
Wilson said people joined the event for exercise, and most importantly, for fun. "It's also nice to be in this kind of environment, kind of like party atmosphere."
Zhao, a 27-year-old chef who came to the festival for the first time, believed triathlon was a part of the Australian culture. He started running and cycling six or seven years ago when he was a student in Wollongong.
Zhao said he gets up at 4:00 a.m. every day for morning exercises. This year he took part in the Sprint, which includes a 20-km cycling, a 5-km running and another 2.5-km running with 750 meters of swimming.
"I am glad that I completed the task," he said.
Zhao was concerned about the coronavirus outbreak in his home country China.
"It is my hope that people could overcome this difficulty," he said. "It also reminded us how important health is. I hope we could all find a way to improve our physical condition and enjoy our life."
