'Super Sam' Holness - Athlete Profile
Triathlete Sam Holness joined 220 Triathlon for a photoshoot and interview in Summer 2021. He appeared in part of our ‘breaking barriers’ feature in issue 395.
22-year-old Sam is autistic and with a degree in sports science and an amazing aptitude for endurance, has set his sights on some lofty triathlon goals.
In 2021 he became the first openly autistic triathlete to compete at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in St George.
“Training is repetitive and structured. It’s everything that people on the spectrum like,” explains his father Tony, who also coaches his son.
“The structure, attention to detail, persistence, resilience and ability to take pain are all things great athletes have,” Tony says, “but he has oodles of it because of the autism.
Sam has a message to share about awareness of autism. He wants to show parents of autistic children that, for example, they can learn to swim.
Sam trains 20-24 hours a week and enjoys swimming the most.
Follow him on Instagram @samholnesstri.
---
220 Triathlon is the UK’s longest-running and most popular magazine for all things triathlon-related, with each issue providing the latest training, racing and nutritional advice, a monthly training plan, in-depth and expert-written gear reviews, plus the world’s best multisport photography.
For the latest triathlon news click here
https://linktr.ee/220triathlon
For more triathlon expertise and training advice head to https://www.220triathlon.com/
Follow 220Triathlon on social media
/ 220triathlon
/ 220triathlon
/ 220triathlon