CAIRNS: As proud Dunghutti man Thomas Kelly ran down the red carpet on the Cairns Esplanade to the dream-like words, “You are an Ironman”, he was flooded with emotions.

Crossing under the finishing arch 11 hours, 57 minutes and 34 seconds after entering the water in Palm Cove that morning, Kelly added his image to redefining what is possible for First Nations communities in endurance sport.

With nine Indigenous athletes crossing the finish line at Ironman Cairns over the weekend, the number of First Nations people to complete an Ironman triathlon has doubled in a matter of years.

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Before the stroke of midnight on Monday, seven First Nations athletes from TriMob’s IronMob program finished their first full-distance course at Ironman Cairns: a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run through Far North Queensland.

“I started tearing up about two kilometres from the finish. It’s an indescribable feeling. You’ve got to do an Ironman to understand it,” Kelly told Wide World of Sports.

“Putting together 14 months of hard work in front of my wife and daughter, having them here, especially my daughter. It brought a tear to my eye every time she yelled, “Up the Mob”. I had to hold it together.

“I’ve got a second family now within TriMob and doing this with them, and sharing culture with the rest of the non-First Nations triathlon community is incredible.”

Two additional First Nations athletes also conquered the challenge of one of the world’s most gruelling one-day sporting events.

TriMob is a triathlon club and charity organisation that empowers First Nations people to improve their health and wellbeing by participating in endurance sports through swimming, cycling and running.

Its culturally grounded IronMob program assists First Nations athletes to complete their first Ironman triathlon within a 14-month journey.

Before TriMob was established in 2020, very few First Nations people had finished an Ironman triathlon.

Since the first Ironman race was held in 1978, tens of thousands of individuals have attempted the endurance event annually. However, before the IronMob program came into being, only 13 First Nations people were known to have taken part.

The IronMob program is actively changing this narrative of under-representation and working to grow the number of participants in long-distance triathlons.

After the conclusion of Ironman Cairns, the number of First Nations people known to have finished a full-distance Ironman has doubled to count 29 — all in less than two years, largely off the back of the work of TriMob.

Representing their culture, Mob and families, the 2024-25 IronMob athletes — Kelly, Anthony Smith, Crystal Stephens, Olive Snell, Malachi Murljacic, Kristy Nichols and Kyal Atkinson — all finished the course within the permitted 17 hours.

The inaugural IronMob group, with the 15-month goal of completing Ironman Australia in May 2024, included an equal number of three Indigenous men and three Indigenous women. Another Indigenous athlete also took part in the event in Port Macquarie.

Founder and CEO of TriMob, Noongar and Martujarra man Nat Heath, started the organisation with an Instagram page to encourage and amplify First Nations athletes in the sport of triathlon.

He hopes that in five years, the number of First Nations people to have completed an Ironman triathlon will have multiplied again, inspired and supported by the IronMob program.

“The program opens up the door for our people to believe that this is a sport that we belong in, and I think that was seen through the local Cairns community taking an interest,” he said.

“It changes what is possible for our people.

“What the first two IronMob groups have accomplished over the last few years has set a standard.

“For us as an organisation, it’s to continue to provide these opportunities for more Mob.”

Through the immense test of stamina and mental fortitude presented by an Ironman triathlon, the IronMob group showcased the strength and resilience of the world’s oldest continuous living culture.

“All 13 of our individuals, it shows that when you commit yourself to something, no matter how hard it is, you can use resilience and an understanding of who you are to do anything across your life, whether that’s in your professional career, hardships or another Ironman,” Heath said.

“It is important for all people to challenge themselves, and it’s even more important for our communities to be challenging themselves.”

On Sunday, the significant growth and impact of TriMob’s mission was on full display with Eastern Arrernte and West Bungjalung man Ambrose Killian’s artwork dotted around the course through TriMob’s kit.

“A couple of years ago, we came here, and the first IronMob group did the 70.3 Ironman. The six of them, that was really all you saw in terms of TriMob representation,” Heath said.

“This year, there were nine First Nations athletes on the course, but several others were wearing TriMob hats — non-Indigenous people.

“In the 70.3 distance, there were also several First Nations athletes and non-Indigenous members wearing the TriMob kit.

“It felt like we were one of the top groups out on the course.

“That shows an impact on First Nations people but also, as we call them, cuzzins of the Mob, non-Indigenous people, being proud to represent and embrace First Nations culture.”

TriMob is now seeking its next group of First Nations people to challenge themselves through the IronMob program, with applications open until July 13.

The next IronMob group will be supported through the 14-month program to take on Ironman Western Australia in December 2026.

You can apply to TriMob here.

Emily Patterson travelled to Cairns courtesy of Ironman.