Four Team Bardo athletes crossed the finish line of Ironman 70.3 in Jönköping, Sweden completing 1,900 metres of open-water swimming, 90 kilometres of cycling, and a 21.1 kilometre half marathon, all in one day.

For two of the team, Isak Trydal (21) and Leif Øyestad (22), this was their very first triathlon ever. They signed up just before Christmas with no bikes, no open-water experience, and barely a front crawl between them. Six months of early mornings and cold water later, they crossed the finish line in Sweden.

Their story even caught the attention of the Norwegian press, with local newspaper Agder / Flekkefjords Tidende following their journey from training sessions on the fjord to race day in Jönköping. When asked at the finish line if they would do it again, the answer at that particular moment was "never again."

Alongside Isak and Leif, Emil Håkedal Tveite and Petter Andreas Larsen also represented Team Bardo with everything they had. All four wore the Bardo logo with pride across the Swedish finish line.

Every kilometre they swam, cycled, and ran was in support of this year's campaign: a dedicated training gym for sarcoma patients at the Radium Hospital in Oslo. As Isak put it before the race: "We both know that physical activity helps with so many different things. Access to a gym would give patients more freedom in their daily lives, and it matters socially too."

A huge thank you to Isak, Leif, Emil, and Petter for taking on this challenge and carrying Bardo's mission with them every step of the way. And to everyone who has donated, shared, and cheered.

Find out more about the Teams project of the year here.

You can still support the campaign here.

Because of Bernardo 💛