Sam Holness, a record-breaking autistic athlete, completed his first Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) T100 event on Sunday.
Sam, 31, from Kingston (London), competed against some of the best athletes in the world and became a step closer to getting his professional license to become the first autistic elite triathlete.
Sam has already broken a Guinness world record as the first endurance athlete with autism to compete at the Ironman World Championships and has trailblazed his way to two more major world firsts in the sport.
During the London T100 Triathlon this weekend, Sam finished the gruelling 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run in 4h 25m.
His performance has taken him another step closer to earning a professional licence by smashing his goal of sub 4h30m, completing the course in 4h25m06s.
Sam said: “What a great day, a new PB and I completed a race without any bloating or gut issues, and I even lost two water bottles during the cycling but was determined not to quit”.
Through triathlon, Sam is challenging the world’s perception of the capabilities of people with autism.
Sam’s autism has proven to be his “superpower” giving him a hyper-focused approach to training and racing because It makes him unrelenting and not easily distracted.
Tony Holness, Sam’s Dad, and Coach said: “Tackling autism can be very challenging but Sam has exceeded all our expectations by dealing with the crowds, noise and a new environment during this race.
“This experience will only help to improve his self-esteem and be the best he can be, and this is another step towards Sam earning his pro licence.
“Sam faced some challenges during the race, including losing some of his nutrition during the cycle leg and getting kicked during the swim, but he dealt with it.
“Despite it being hot, Sam finished the race in a personal best of course as it’s the first time he has done this race, but he will come back next year and smash that PB.
“The T100 has been amazing, the staff and volunteers are great, and Sam will now enjoy a well-earned recovery for a couple of days until he starts training for his next event in September”.
