Victor You Are An Ironman

What a journey! It all started when I met Victor Calvagna in 2009 at a fundraising dinner for Puttinu. At the time, the Foundation he had founded was already seven years in operation. We started talking about his wish to start cycling and we ended our conversation with an invitation to join my cycling group at that time. Little did I know then this would be the beginning of our endless training routines and many sporting adventures together. An incredible journey of friendship and a determination to finish whatever we dreamed of.

Victor Calvagna was mostly known for his work as a consultant in paediatric oncology and the foundation Puttinu Cares. He was a hero to many people and helped save the lives of many children. Yet, there is a side of Victor that is known only to the few privileged  - Victor, the Ironman. 

I was one of the lucky few who had the honour to journey with Victor through his sporting endeavours. From starting cycling to training for the LifeCycle Challenge. With every step, the sporting challenges became longer and tougher. When we participated in the Puttinu 100kms challenge, the idea of training in triathlons was formed. Developing the three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running, we set ourselves to participate in several triathlons, culminating in a full Ironman - a triathlon event consisting of 3.8km swim, 180km cycling and a 42km run. 

Victor had a strong determination and great focus. The moment we discussed an event, he was on to it before anyone else, preparing himself mentally and physically and setting himself goals to push further and harder than before. No matter what the circumstances were, no matter how busy he was, Victor saw each of these challenges right to the finish line.

Through this photobook, I invite you to share this astounding journey with me - the journey of Victor, from his first cycle to an accomplished Ironman, the experiences and the emotions of all the sporting events that Victor embarked on. The book unfolds in chronological order so that together with me, you can be inspired by his growth, resilience and perseverance over time.

Each photo was selected with purpose. Some photos are accompanied by anecdotes and stories of Victor’s training, races, falls and finish lines as told by those who ran, swam or cycled beside him. Their voices add colour to the photos and bring them to life. Other photos are wordless, as no words can describe that particular moment in Victor’s life and thus the photos speak for themselves. 

As the journey unfolds, Victor reached the toughest challenge he had ever faced - Ironman, Austria - 2018. It was the one race that he was most uncertain of and that truly tested his capabilities. I had never witnessed Victor as tense as he was in the runup to the Ironman. It had a great meaning to him, testing and pushing his physical and mental endurance to the limits. He was prepared to give it his all, always going further than what he originally anticipated. That is the Victor I knew, a dedicated and determined athlete, always giving his best.  

And in that spirit, I share his story of his sports life and the joys, tears and laughter that came with it. Not only so that you can experience these emotions with me, but also to continue the legacy that Victor left behind. The proceeds of this book will go to the Puttinu Cares Foundation, a charitable organization that assists cancer patients and their families. But beyond that, I wish to inspire you in the same way that Victor kept inspiring me, race after race, challenge after challenge. Through a determined mindset, he finished every challenge he set himself up against. 

This is Victor, the Ironman.