Autistic triathlete Sam Holness to compete at his first World Championships

Shoe brand HOKA sent an e-mail to their latest global ambassador Sam Holness, a 27-year-old Autistic triathlete from London, inviting him to head to the USA in September to compete in his first IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship World Championships in Utah. 

Nicknamed “Super-Sam”, identified by the Shaw Trust as one of UK’s the top 100 people with a disability not only because of his success as an endurance athlete, but his mission is to motivate other people that are neurodiverse. 

Sam wants to change the world’s perception in that someone with autism can participate in sport and be a successful endurance athlete, no matter what their background. 

Sam believes HOKA ONE ONE  e-mail invite to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship World Championships in Utah is a big step on his journey to become a professional triathlete and to achieve his ultimate goal of being the first triathlete with autism from the BAME community to complete the Kona 140.6 Triathlon World Championships. 

You need to be almost superhuman to take on an Ironman World Championship, which is why Sam plans on channelling what he describes as his autism “superpower” on the Utah race at the same time setting his sights on reaching the legendary 140.5 Kona worlds event in Hawaii (now moved to February 2022).

Sam’s message to the world is simple “Don’t let your disability stop you from participating in sport” 
 

Sam Holness discovered triathlon in 2016 and his father retired to dedicate his life to coaching his son. 

Sam sees his autism as both an advantage and a strength when training and competing. He’s incredibly focused and isn’t easily distracted, he also finds that the sport improves his confidence and self-esteem.

Sam is frequently the only Black competitor at triathlon events and even though the sport tailors itself to be inclusive it, nonetheless, is still underrepresented in the ethnic minority groups. In an attempt to overcome minority groups being marginalised in the sport, British Triathlon are actively setting up programmes for triathlon to be more accessible. 

British Triathlon CEO Andy Salmon says “we’re currently doing a very targeted initiative to work with partners in local communities in areas that wouldn’t have perhaps thought about triathlon as something that they can do”. 

“The early indications of that are that it’s working really well.”