Click photo to enlarge
Miroslav Vrastil (left) with his Czech Republic compatriot
and former rowing colleague Petr Vabrousek, ahead of
today's Challenge Wanaka triathlon. Photo by Matthew
Haggart.
Crossing the finish line at today's long-distance
Challenge Wanaka triathlon is the first step in a world record
bid by a former rowing hardman from the Czech Republic.
Miroslav Vrastil (58) has set himself a goal of finishing 22
Ironman races in 2010 - an average of almost two races every
month, with each event consisting of a 3.8km swim, 180km
cycle, and a 42km run.
Added up over the 12-month timeframe he has set himself,
Vrastil's goal amounts to a total race distance of almost
5000km - and that is not even factoring in the training
needed for such a feat of endurance.
Vrastil rowed at three Olympics (Munich 1972, Montreal 1976,
and Moscow 1980) competing in the rowing eight for the Czech
Republic and also the rowing pairs.
He was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in his leg in 1981
and ignored the advice of doctors, who wanted to amputate his
right leg at the groin.
He came back from the health scare to be selected for the
Czech rowing team and compete at a World Championships, but
was denied a fourth crack at the Olympics when the communist
bloc countries boycotted the Los Angeles Games in 1984.
Vrastil says the inspiration for his world record bid of 22
Ironman races comes from his five children, for whom he wants
to set a "good example".
"It was an idea and I thought why not? I was once told I
would never walk again and at that point I thought to myself
`one day I will make a world record'."
His eldest son also rows for the Czech Republic and competes
in triathlons, as does his second-born eldest daughter.
Vrastil - speaking through his interpreter and Czech Republic
compatriot Petr Vabrousek, an elite professional competing in
the Challenge - says he is out to beat a world record of 20
Ironman races completed in a year by a Belgian triathlete.
The 2009 Guinness World Book of Records lists Luxembourg
triathlete Jacques Fox, as the current record holder with 14
races, started in Malaysia in February, 2004 and ending in
Hawaii, in November, 2004.
Vrastil is a former rowing coach of Vabrousek - himself a
four-time competitor in the Challenge Wanaka, who finished
third last year and first in the inaugural event, before he
was disqualified for swimming with webbed gloves.
The pair have resumed their sporting connection on the
international triathlon circuit.
Vrastil took up triathlons 10 years ago and completed his
first long-distance event, the South African Ironman, two
years ago.
His record bid will culminate with a gruelling four-race
schedule over four weeks, which will take him from Florida to
Arizona, and then Mexico, during November.
He plans to complete his world record in Perth at the Western
Australian Ironman race in December.
