Mohamed Lahna

Started: He completed his first triathlon in 2008 in France. (Instagram profile, 08 Jun 2022) Reason: "I grew up swimming, but triathlons are like drugs. Once you try it, you can't stop. I tried it just out of curiosity as I was a swimmer." (Sport360, 09 Mar 2017) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (USA Para Triathlon Resident Team Instagram profile, 14 Sep 2023) Additional Info: REPRESENTING USA He represented Morocco in triathlon at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and in cycling at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Following the 2020 Games he began competing for the United States of America in Para triathlon. "I've been fortunate to race in two Paralympic Games, both times representing my home country of Morocco. I am grateful and humbled by the honour in doing so. When I first applied for my green card [US permanent resident card], I made a vow to one day represent USA. As I make a return to triathlon in a new trisuit representing a different country, I'm not going to lie, I'm nervous. I feel I have one more Games in me so I'm going to put it all out there." (SportsDeskOnline, 09 Jan 2024; Instagram profile, 04 Nov 2021) ADVENTURE CHALLENGES He has completed a number of endurance challenges, including cycling the Atlas Mountains in northwestern Africa, running the Marathon des Sables ultramarathon in the Sahara Desert, and swimming the Strait of Gibraltar. In 2020 he and friends started a project that would see them cycle from the lowest point to the highest point of each of the world's continents over a number of years. "It's never been done before, by someone able-bodied or by anybody else. We want to be the first. We want to inspire people with disabilities to aim higher." (folks.pillpack.com, 01 Mar 2021; outdoors.ma, 2019; challengedathletes.org, 2019; teamusa.org, 2018)