Captain Tobias the Sheffield fundraising superstar will complete Ironman challenge this weekend
10-year-old Tobias Weller, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was nicknamed “Captain” for following in the footsteps of his hero Captain Sir Tom Moore and raising more than £150,000 through challenges during lockdown.
Now, the unstoppable force for fundraising is set to complete his latest, greatest effort yet this weekend when he finishes the last mile of his Ironman Challenge.
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Hide AdSince June 2020, the Captain has been crossing off miles from the gruelling triathlon – including a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile trike ride and 26-mile marathon.
At 1pm on Saturday (September 11), Tobias will complete the swim section at Ponds Forge Competition Pool, before capping it off on Sunday when he sets off from Strelley Avenue at 11am racing his trike down Abbey Lane, into Millhouses Park and finishing on the first field.
Spectators are being invited to cheer the 10-year-old champion home on both days and congratulate him.
Tobias said: “I’m so excited about finishing my Ironman Challenge this weekend – it’s going to be awesome.
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Hide Ad“When people clap and cheer for me, it makes me feel magnificent.
“I’ve raised over £150,000 so far. That’s a lot of money, isn’t it?
“If I can make even more money for my favourite charities, I’ll be chuffed to bits.
“I’m chuffed to bits that I’m continuing to get stronger whilst raising money for charity.
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Hide Ad"I can swim so much better than I could before and that makes me feel brilliant.”
The 10-year-old star announced the Ironman challenge during Sports Personality of the Year 2020, where he won the Captain Sir Tom Moore Young Unsung Hero Award.
Swim! on Archer Road and Virgin Gym Millhouses allowed him to use their pools for free to complete the challenge.
Mum Ruth said: “I am, once again, bursting with pride for my son.
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Hide Ad“It’s taken him over a year to get to this point and he has never, once, wanted to give up.
“We’ve been out triking every weekend throughout the winter, through rain, wind and hail. His determination and tenacity are humbling.”
“He’s triked 180km in distances of 5km or 6km. Each of those is exhausting for him.
“He’s built up the distances throughout the challenge and can now swim 400m in one session.
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Hide Ad"The people of Sheffield have been behind him all the way and that is fantastic, he’s like a mini local celebrity when we are out and about and every time someone recognises him, it makes his day.
"Despite his own challenges, he has achieved such an enormous feat. He has/will have completed an Ironmanand that is beyond my wildest dreams.”
It comes after Tobias completed his first marathon in March 2020 over 70 days using a walker. He complete his second marathon over 40 days in August 2020.
When he began a third marathon in August 2020, he announced at the end that he would power through and take it into an Ironman challenge. Since then, he has been completing the trike and swim parts of the feat.
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