FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH

Bruce Jordan is a Taranaki para-athlete, competing in triathlon and duathlon in New Zealand and on the world stage. 

“I grew up on a dairy farm and spent a lot of my youth playing rugby, volleyball and surfing. But I had a massive life change at 21 when I was involved in a hit-and-run accident. I ended up upside down in a vehicle with open fractures on both sides of my right elbow. All my fingers were smashed, and I lost the main median nerve in that arm,” said Bruce.

“It meant that my contact sports days were over. But through my work, I ended up in France on a road bike for the first time in my life, raising money for children’s charities and cycling up Mont Ventoux.”

Bruce enjoyed the cycling in France and decided that triathlons looked challenging, although that meant learning how to swim all over again.

Finance is a massive challenge for athletes competing at Bruce’s level.

“We’re completely self-funded, and the costs of competing for your country overseas with all equipment, is a huge challenge.”

Toi Foundation funding helped Bruce with his travel costs, allowing him to concentrate on training and competing at the Oceania Championships in Stockton and at the World Championships in Townsville last year.

“Normally, you compete in either short distance or long-distance races, but I competed in both under PTS5 category in both duathlon and triathlon.”

It takes a lot of dedication to train for both short and long-distance races.

“My day usually starts about four o’clock in the morning, and I can do up to 15 training sessions a week,” said Bruce.

“But I came home with two gold medals and world titles, so it’s been a fantastic month.”