'You have to be mentally strong': Xolani Luvuno on landing in hospital during Ironman

The Ironman 70.3 SA challenge on Sunday may have landed amputee athlete Xolani Luvuno in hospital, but he has his sights set on a triathlon in April in Durban and hopes to conquer the Comrades marathon in KwaZulu-Natal in June.

The Ironman event incorporates swimming in the ocean, cycling and running, but Luvuno's journey was cut short in the first phase (swimming) after he suffered from hypothermia.

Luvuno told TimesLIVE the weather in East London was challenging.

“The challenge for me was the weather. It was too cold. Coming from Pretoria, where it is always warm, I just wasn't able to adjust. The cold front was too strong and it didn't help that I had been training in a warm swimming pool from the gym.”

Luvuno was discharged after an hour.

To his followers, though, he is a winner.

Vicky Jane Reynolds said: “Xolani you are one of a kind, glad you're out of hospital,” and Percy Ndlovu said: “You're a fighter my brother, I'm a marathon runner because of you, and so is my wife.”