A Canadian female athlete, who was sexually abused as a child, is attempting to double the world’s longest triathlon record as a charity event in order to raise awareness about human trafficking and stop it.
Norma Bastidas will more than double Australian world record holder David Holleran’s triathlon consisting of a 26-mile swim, 1,242-mile ride and a 310-mile run, by swimming 95 miles, biking 2,932 miles and running 735 miles for a total of 3,762 miles.
According to CNN, Bastidas, completed her 95-mile swim in the Caribbean on March 20, then crossed the US-Mexico border on April 4 and a few days ago the tri-athlete started her run into the US capitol.
Bastidas, who at 17 was kidnapped by men intending to sell her into slavery, reportedly chose to go through Mexico in her triathlon route because it covered major human trafficking routes and she wants to create awareness in people regarding the issue.
Bastidas’ team member Alexis Rhyner said that the tri-athlete chose that route because it was important to her that the route passes through both Mexico and US and their capitals, in order to unify both nations to fight human trafficking together and take responsibility about what is happening between their borders.
Bastidas, who has climbed the world’s seven highest peaks on seven continents to raise money to find a cure for genetic blindness, has teamed with a child advocacy group called iEmpathize to film a documentary of her journey, the report added. (ANI)