DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (BRPROUD) — It is exactly a month out from the Summer Olympics, and national athletes aren’t the only ones training right now.
Denham Springs local Christopher Ballard is beating the odds and preparing for something he has never done before.
Ballard said, “I’m training for a triathlon.”
After the Special Olympics was canceled this year, he decided to climb a different mountain.
Christopher’s mother Mary Ballard said, “Christopher probably would have sat down and watched tv, but Tiffany thought, we need to keep him in shape, so she wanted to keep him in the swim and came up with this great idea to train him for a triathlon.”
He is training for every obstacle and event.
There are three events so training usually started with some bike riding, then swimming which is his favorite, and then moves on to running.
Mary said, “It encompasses a 400m swim, a ten mile bike ride and a two mile run.”
“Sometimes it’s hard but sometimes it’s easy,” said Christopher.
He never lets his disability get in the way of his dreams.
Mary said, “Christopher is a never say never. If you keep on pushing him and cheering him on, he’ll do anything. “
He is never never shy of the spotlight.
She added, “He loves the camera, if you asked Christopher what he wanted to be, he’ll say famous.”
He hopes to inspire others through his training.
“I want them to be good, be confident, and be brave from Jesus,” said Christopher.
If you would like to see Christopher compete at the Freedom Fest Triathlon, he will be at the Morrison Boat Launch in New Roads on Sunday.