After Overcoming Addiction, Homelessness, and Cancer, This Runner Transformed His Life
- 5 years ago
This unlikely friendship has led to finishes at two of the world’s toughest races.
Xolani Luvuno and Hein Venter were the final finishers of the 2019 Ironman South Africa.
Luvuno, an amputee, completed the race on crutches.
HEIN VENTER
It’s said that the East London Ironman is one of the most difficult 70.3 (mile) Ironman events.
XOLANI LUVUNO
My aim and my wish (was) just to carry the medal of Ironman. Now me and father, when we crossed it, I can’t believe, I’m like Ronaldo when he scores the goal, the fans and the crowd, I never believe, because our aim is just to finish before (the) cutoff time.
They nearly didn’t make it to the running stage of the triathlon.
HEIN VENTER
The cycling leg is a vicious climb for 45 kilometers and vicious headwind back. We made the cycling leg literally with three minutes to spare and then the running leg was wonderful.
Luvuno had his leg amputated due to bone cancer in 2009.
In 2016, he was living under a bridge in Preoria, South Africa when he met Venter.
HEIN VENTER
I drove past him quite regularly. One day I just reached out to him and stopped and listened to his story. I knew I was in a position to assist him and in my wildest dreams, I could not have thought that it was going to be what it was.
Venter offered the then-32-year-old a position within his perfume company.
One month later, an office field trip would spark a new passion in Luvuno.
HEIN VENTER
I took my staff members down to go watch the Comrades Marathon of 2016 as a teambuilding exercise and that’s where the running bug just bit into everybody.
Inspired by what he saw, Luvuno took up running.
Within 3 he months had finished his first 10K.
XOLANI LUVUNO
I remember my first 5 kilometers. It was too hard. But today I don’t run 5 kilometers, it’s a fun walk.
Luvuno and Venter have been inseparable ever since, trying increasingly difficult challenges.
By 2018, the pair were ready to take on the grueling 56-mile Comrades for themselves.
Though Luvuno had a prosthetic for running, an infection prevented him from using it.
He had to compete on crutches.
They still managed to finish in 15:50.
The pair have plans to run the race again in 2019.
Venter says he is always impressed by the response Luvuno gets from spectators.
HEIN VENTER
I always say, Xolani was never rehabilitated, he was transformed, became a different human being. “I think he’s been so inspiring in terms of how he’s shown so many other people what is possible if you really aim for the stars.”
Luvuno doesn’t consider himself a role model.
XOLANI LUVUNO
The more they say it’s (an) inspiration, I think it’s inspiring me. It’s just my enjoying now, it’s just for fun, it’s a thing that I love.
Xolani Luvuno and Hein Venter were the final finishers of the 2019 Ironman South Africa.
Luvuno, an amputee, completed the race on crutches.
HEIN VENTER
It’s said that the East London Ironman is one of the most difficult 70.3 (mile) Ironman events.
XOLANI LUVUNO
My aim and my wish (was) just to carry the medal of Ironman. Now me and father, when we crossed it, I can’t believe, I’m like Ronaldo when he scores the goal, the fans and the crowd, I never believe, because our aim is just to finish before (the) cutoff time.
They nearly didn’t make it to the running stage of the triathlon.
HEIN VENTER
The cycling leg is a vicious climb for 45 kilometers and vicious headwind back. We made the cycling leg literally with three minutes to spare and then the running leg was wonderful.
Luvuno had his leg amputated due to bone cancer in 2009.
In 2016, he was living under a bridge in Preoria, South Africa when he met Venter.
HEIN VENTER
I drove past him quite regularly. One day I just reached out to him and stopped and listened to his story. I knew I was in a position to assist him and in my wildest dreams, I could not have thought that it was going to be what it was.
Venter offered the then-32-year-old a position within his perfume company.
One month later, an office field trip would spark a new passion in Luvuno.
HEIN VENTER
I took my staff members down to go watch the Comrades Marathon of 2016 as a teambuilding exercise and that’s where the running bug just bit into everybody.
Inspired by what he saw, Luvuno took up running.
Within 3 he months had finished his first 10K.
XOLANI LUVUNO
I remember my first 5 kilometers. It was too hard. But today I don’t run 5 kilometers, it’s a fun walk.
Luvuno and Venter have been inseparable ever since, trying increasingly difficult challenges.
By 2018, the pair were ready to take on the grueling 56-mile Comrades for themselves.
Though Luvuno had a prosthetic for running, an infection prevented him from using it.
He had to compete on crutches.
They still managed to finish in 15:50.
The pair have plans to run the race again in 2019.
Venter says he is always impressed by the response Luvuno gets from spectators.
HEIN VENTER
I always say, Xolani was never rehabilitated, he was transformed, became a different human being. “I think he’s been so inspiring in terms of how he’s shown so many other people what is possible if you really aim for the stars.”
Luvuno doesn’t consider himself a role model.
XOLANI LUVUNO
The more they say it’s (an) inspiration, I think it’s inspiring me. It’s just my enjoying now, it’s just for fun, it’s a thing that I love.