Fall seven times, stand up eight. This old Japanese proverb speaks to the power of resilience. Falling is part of life’s cycle, and suffering is inevitable. It sounds bleak, but it is true. At some point or another, we are all tested and challenged, but it is often in these moments that we grow the most. We find strength in standing back up, in resilience. As we discover courage, strength, and perseverance, we become more attuned to and appreciative of the broad spectrum of the human experience. Ultimately, success cannot exist without hardship because it is the hardship that defines success.
No one knows this better than Challenge member Liam Twomey.
Liam’s story begins in early 2001, when at the age of seven, he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma cancer in his right leg. Later that year, despite intense chemotherapy, Liam had his right leg amputated below the knee. Being young, he managed to adjust to life as an amputee. However, during adolescence, he began to process the grief his cancer had imposed on him and what it had taken. He felt different and resented his difference. In his grief and pain, he turned to drugs and alcohol, finding himself on a dark road, littered with many more falls along the way.
But they say sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to have nowhere to go but up, and fortunately, this was true for Liam. At 21, he woke up one day and decided to take back his life. He moved interstate and started fresh, giving himself a clean slate to build new habits. One of those habits was a keen interest in sports. He learned how to run, swim, and, above all, the value of his life.
What he didn’t see coming was how good he would become at these new skills – exceptionally good. He began competing in triathlons, winning competitions, and improving day by day. For the last four years, Liam has been training and competing full-time as an elite athlete with the ultimate goal of representing Australia in the paratriathlon at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
We are thrilled to share that Liam’s hard work has paid off. He will be heading to Paris to represent Australia this September at the 2024 Paralympic Games.
Liam, we are incredibly proud of you. You are an inspiration to so many. We hope you take the time to process what a significant achievement this is and appreciate how worthy you are of this enormous success. We wish you nothing but the best and want you to know that you have the entire Challenge army cheering you on from afar. Keep doing incredible things and go get ’em!
Follow Liam’s journey on instagram here
