Overcoming Challenges One Two Three

Kimberly Fawcett-Smith will be participating at the 2010 World Triathlon Championships being held in Budapest this September as a member of the Canadian National Paratriathlon Team. Kim has also chosen the Sprint Triathlon (Athletes with a Disability TRI2) during the Kelowna Apple Triathlon as her last race before Budapest.
We tracked down Kim and her husband Curtis just before Ironman Lake Placid. And then I found them on the internet http://kimandcurtis.blogspot.com/


The couple obviously has a good sense of humour! Kim and Curtis are both Canadian military officers. Kim bikes and runs with a prosthetic leg. Curtis, an endurance athlete in his own right, is also Kim's handler.

It's been four years since they tragically lost their young son Keiran and Kim lost her leg. Curtis was called up 12 hours before the accident and heading off to the Congo. Kim was on standby to deploy and taking Keiran to his grandmother Jean who took care of him when they were both serving. In uniform, holding Keiran in her arms, an out of control vehicle crashed into them as they were waiting for roadside assistance after her car spun off the road in bad weather. Their lives changed irrevocably.


Kim started triathlons after her rehabilitation to help her maintain and increase her physical fitness. She took a very conscious decision "Life is an experience to be lived up too; not survived through." And she has lived it up!


Kim was the first Canadian soldier amputee to return to Afghanistan and serve in an operation in 2008. She placed third in the 2008 World Triathlon Championship in Vancouver, she climbed Kilimanjaro in March 2009 and the next adventure is to climb to Base Camp Everest and to do an Ironman Triathlon.


Kim says 'I am trail blazing. It's a tough road though and I'm often alone. I am hoping I can inspire child amputees to come out and give triathlon a try. My tag line "Tri it On!"


There is certainly no stop to Kim and Curtis. We are looking forward to seeing them in Kelowna for the Apple and we will certainly be cheering her on in Budapest! One leg, two legs, three legs...GO!!!


To read more about Kim's adventures, visit her personal blog at Still Fit To Fight. To read more about Curtis' adventures, go to Ironguy.

Note: TriCanada has also set the following goal for the participation of Athletes with a Disability (AWAD): "With the view of gaining admittance into the Paralympic Games, to advocate on behalf of and increase the number of participants and opportunities for AWAD athletes."

Article provided by Jeanette Hoft