The 28-year-old’s sheer determination and talent prevailed on Sunday as she competed in the ironman triathlon in Port Macquarie, New South Wales.
Since suffering burns to 65 per cent of her body in 2011, which she sustained from a bushfire during the West Australian ultra-marathon, Turia has been resolute on one day participating in an ironman triathlon.
Watch the incredible moment Turia crosses the finish line in the player below!
And this weekend, that moment finally arrived for the inspirational Aussie, who put herself through the ultimate test with a 3.8 kilometre swim, 180 kilometre cycle and a 42.2 kilometre run.
With her fiancé Michael Hoskin cheering her on every step of the way, Turia even managed to finish the gruelling course ahead of her predicated time of 14 hours.
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” she explained to The Daily Telegraph of the challenge, which saw her rake in a time of 13 hours, 24 minutes and 41 seconds.
Photographer Delly Carr shared this powerful image of Turia crossing the finish line, it has since been shared nearly two thousand times. (Image/ Delly Carr Sports Photographer Facebook)
“I don’t have to do anything else anymore,” Turia reflected.
Meanwhile, Michael couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.
“She couldn’t walk five years ago – look at her now,” he beamed to The Daily Telegraph.
“It has brought a tear to my eye and I don’t normally cry. It has been an amazing journey. It’s the indomitable spirit of the human being.”
After being told she would never run again, this marks a huge milestone in the motivational speaker’s recovery.
“I’ll never forget that moment – it was like something switched inside my brain and I thought ‘I’ll show you, I’m going to do an IRONMAN one day’. Now, in just a few months I’ll be competing in the Port Mac IRONMAN comp,” Turia penned a few months ago on Facebook.
And true to her word, she’s done exactly that.
Taking to Instagram shortly after the incredible moment, Turia shared a powerful photo of her crossing the finish line.
“I am an #IRONMAN! Swim: 3.8km Bike: 180km Run: 42km,” she captioned it.
Turia has captivated the nation with her resilience and her refreshing outlook on life. Here, Michael gives his wife-to-be a congratulatory hug. (Image/Samantha Townsend Twitter)
Despite her brush with death in 2011, which saw her suffer burns to 65 per cent of her body, lose several fingers and spend five months in hospital after she was trapped in a grassfire during a 100 kilometre ultra-marathon in the Kimberleys, Turia has one of the most optimistic attitudes you’ll ever come across.
“I know it’s hard to say I’m lucky, but I am lucky cause the situation could have been a lot worse,” she told 60 Minutes in 2012 when reflecting on her life-changing accident.
Congratulations Turia on this massive achievement!
Fans and well-wishers cheered the 28-year-old on from the sidelines (Image/Spartachicks Instagram)
