2XU, a maker of performance fitness apparel, welcomed long course triathlete Terry Kennedy to its portfolio of brand ambassadors.
A 2013 Ironman Melbourne finisher, 2013 Ironman World Championship qualifier and impressive athlete in his own right, 34 year-old Kennedy captured the attention of 2XU for reasons beyond standard sport sponsorships; his ‘road to Kona’ has been a truly inspirational and incredible one.
In November 2011, seven months after his son Archie was born with a rare brain condition, his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In his father’s honor, a then overweight, unfit and unmotivated Kennedy decided to embrace life like never before, and set himself a goal of running a marathon for the very first time.
However, in May 2012, just five days prior to his marathon, Kennedy suffered from a brain stem stroke and heart attack; leaving him with no ability to walk, talk or see.
Determined to achieve his original goal, Kennedy aggressively fought to restore his speech, vision and mobility, and within two months of finally leaving the hospital, he completed his marathon. Yet he didn’t stop there. With plenty of cycling and swimming to further aid rehabilitation, Kennedy set a new goal to complete an Ironman. Aggressive training followed, and in March 2013, Kennedy crossed the Ironman Melbourne finish line to achieve his mission.
Since overcoming such obstacles and accomplishing unimaginable feats, Kennedy dreams have continued to grow. The 2013 Ironman World Championship was next on his list, and after successfully applying for Ironman’s KONA Inspired Program, Kennedy is now one of seven international winners lined up to compete in Hawaii this October; the only participant from the Asia Pacific.
With perhaps his toughest challenge still to come, Kennedy is thrilled to have the support of 2XU performance apparel for his grueling training regime, and the race itself.
“I’m thrilled to be aligned with 2XU. My journey to Kona and future Ironman events mean approximately 28 hours of training a week – knowing I have the support of 2XU and their market leading equipment gives me incredible confidence to perform at my best in training and at races,” said Kennedy.
2XU’s Chief Executive Officer Kevin Roberts, is delighted with the new Ambassadorship.
“Our mission at 2XU is to multiply human performance and it’s a privilege to be associated with Terry as a person who inspires others by performing in the face of adversity,” said Roberts. “We look forward to being a part of his future success and following his achievements.”
With a relentless commitment to engineering world-class products which deliver tangible benefits to the wearer, 2XU sets the benchmark in high performance apparel. Ongoing testing, research and consultation with professional sporting bodies and athletes are integral to the brand’s winning formula.
