A decade of training, one shot at Worlds

After more than ten years of early-morning swims, long rides and longer runs, I earned my place on Team Canada’s age-group triathlon team. This September I’ll pull on the maple leaf at the 2026 World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra, Spain — racing the standard distance (1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, 10 km run) against the best amateurs in the world.

Representing Canada on a world stage is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But getting there — flights to Spain, race fees, the Team Canada kit, coaching and gear — adds up to roughly CAD $10,000, all out of my own pocket.

Here's the honest part: getting there isn't cheap, and I'm covering it entirely on my own.

**Where your support goes (about CAD $10,000 total):**

- ✈️ Flights — Vancouver to Vigo, Spain — ~$2,300

- Race fees + the official Team Canada kit — ~$2,600

- Coaching and a pre-race training camp — ~$2,000

- Gear and bike maintenance — ~$2,000

- Seven nights' accommodation — ~$1,400

Any contribution — big or small — makes a real difference, and I’m grateful for every bit of support, every share and every good-luck message along the way.

To everyone who has trained with me, cheered at finish lines, or sent a good-luck message over the years: thank you. I'll be racing with all of you in mind.

— Abdu Ghanem

Instagram & Strava: @ghanemabdo