Olympic Triathlon Challenge – charity closes in on £100k

Rob Starr, Chairperson of the Starr Trust charity, is on the final stretch of a personal challenge to complete an Olympic distance triathlon every week in 2022, supported by Olympians Daley Thomson CBE and ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards. 

Rob completed his 42nd triathlon of the year on September 30. His mission is to raise £100k to support disadvantaged young people in Sussex who are struggling to overcome roadblocks in their lives. 

Rob, 53, has now completed thirty-eight of his fifty-two events. 

Supporter of the Starr Trust, Olympic gold medallist Daley Thompson is set to join Rob for a star-studded evening at the prestigious Soho House, which it is hoped will help boost the fundraising efforts even further. 

Daley said: “I jokingly told Rob his adventures never impress me but, seriously, if Rob completes this challenge, I really will be very impressed.”

Nick Jones, Founder and CEO of global membership-only club Soho House, has offered support and his team are looking forward to hosting the fundraising evening. 

Nick said: “Rob, congratulations on all that you’ve achieved so far – super impressive.”

Ski jumping Olympic legend ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards, who is supporting the Starr Trust at their Winter Extravaganza Ball in Brighton this year, said: “When I heard what Rob was about to do, I thought he was mad! This is a heroic effort. Well done – we are all behind you.”

Rob’s idea for the challenge came about because Nathan, one of the young ‘Starrs’ who the charity supports, needs to raise around £15,000 to enable him to reach the next Paralympics as a wheelchair tennis player. He is a remarkable young man who has Cerebral Palsy and who, until eighteen months ago, was a successful wheelchair racer – which the Starr Trust also supported. 

During a world championship race, Nathan suffered an accident which meant he could no longer participate in that sport. Rather than give up, he switched to wheelchair tennis and is now on the cusp of being chosen for the next Paralympics. 

The Starr Trust is awarding Nathan their maximum funding of £5,000, but this falls £10,000 short. Therefore, Rob has pledged to raise this for him. 

The Starr Trust has a large number of applications from young people in need and Rob’s challenge is to raise enough money to support Nathan fully and also support as many of the new applicants reaching out for help.

Nathan said: “I can’t believe Rob is doing this for me. It’s amazing, I don’t know how he does it. Rob and the Starr Trust have been supporting me for years and they just 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.” 

Rob completed his first triathlon of the challenge on 1st January 2022 and has continued weekly thereafter throughout the year to date.

Rob said: “Now being over 70 per cent into the challenge, I finally realise how difficult it is! 

“The hardest part has been trying to keep injury free, which has not always been possible, and then carrying on regardless of the pain. Also. as a long-term sufferer of Crohn’s disease and arthritis, I have had to cope with pushing my body way past its comfort zone, but movement is the best medicine, so each injury or flare up has cleared up pretty quickly. 

“The other tough part about the challenge is definitely the mental aspect rather than the physical; having to push forward no matter how I feel and with no one there to support you on the dark, cold mornings has taken a lot of self-discipline. 

“But one thing I have learned about myself is that whilst I might have regretted committing to a triathlon each week, I have not once regretted doing them. The amazing money we are raising is already changing the lives of so many young people and, along the way, I am becoming the fittest I have ever been. That’s a win-win in my book. Absolutely no regrets at all.”

A weekly blog on the Starr Trust website documents Rob’s progress on this mammoth challenge to inspire businesses and individuals to get involved or support however they can: www.starrtrust.org/52×52-challenge

One hundred per cent of all funds raised will be given out to young people, because the charity has all its running costs covered by Rob’s company, SEICO Group.

Established in 2008, the Starr Trust has supported over 4,000 young people to date.