Charity boss filmed by BBC as he completes 52nd Olympic distance triathlon

Rob Starr, founder and chairperson of the Starr Trust charity, raised over £100,000 and was greeted by crowds of well-wishers – including Olympian Daley Thompson and the BBC South Today film crew.

Rob Starr made the pledge to undertake this world record breaking personal challenge in December 2021 and completed his first triathlon of the challenge on 1st January 2022, continuing weekly thereafter throughout the year and finishing all fifty-two ahead of time on 30th November 2022. 

Olympic Gold Medallist Daley Thompson CBE was amongst those cheering Rob on at the finish line, having praised his dedication and commitment to raise over £100k in support of numerous disadvantaged young people in Sussex. 

Mr Thompson said: “I was never in any doubt Rob would get the job done. It takes a certain type of person to take on a challenge like this and Rob is certainly not one to make things easy for himself! I look forward to hearing about all the young people this enables the charity to help over the coming year.” 

Sussex based charity, the Starr Trust removes roadblocks for young people and the funds raised will support many including nineteen year old wheelchair tennis player Nathan, who has Cerebral Palsy. Nathan’s dream is to make it to the next Paralympics playing the sport he loves and the funds raised will cover the cost of a new wheelchair he needs to give him the best chance of success. 

Wheelchair Tennis Player Nathan Freeman said: “I can’t believe Rob has done this for me and other young people in need, it’s amazing, I don’t know how he does it. Rob and the Starr Trust make me feel I can achieve anything. They are such a big part of my family and are literally making this dream possible for me.” 

The Starr Trust has a large number of applications from young people in need and funds raised through Rob’s challenge will support many of the new applicants reaching out for help from the charity. Awards of up to £5,000 are granted to young people aged 10-25 years to help them succeed and thrive in whatever they put their minds to. More information on how to apply is here: www.starrtrust.org/apply

Likened to Forrest Gump for his determination, Rob said: “Fifty-two Olympic Distance Triathlons completed this year and thank goodness for that. This was certainly one of my harder mental challenges rather than physical and I learnt a lot about myself and how important resilience really is. 

“I certainly lived this year fixated on my main mantra of ‘control the controllables and accept the uncontrollables’. There are so many people to thank, and I will be doing that for sure, but right now a huge thank you to everyone who helped and supported me. 

“We raised an astonishing £105,000 and I hope more will come in as we have so many Young Starrs to support next year. And as for next year, to answer the question I keep being asked ‘what is next?’, all I can say is I have no idea – and that is always the exciting bit!” 

The Starr Trust is extremely grateful to every single person who has supported so far for their generosity in helping to raise over £105,000. Special thanks to: Parks Agencies, Best of British Events, Brighton i360, Healys Solicitors and many more.

View the BBC South Today news feature here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjZWKyUNdzQ

A weekly blog documenting Rob’s challenge: www.starrtrust.org/52×52-challenge

Fundraising link to make a kind donation is here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/52x52triathlonchallenge

Images by Stephen Lawrence