Visually Impaired Athlete Israel Antonio Preparing for the Paratriathlon World Competition in London

Visually impaired athlete and screenwriter Israel Antonio is prepping for the World Paratriathlon competition on September 13, 2013, in London by competing in the Lifetime Fitness Sprint Triathlon, which consists of a 750m swim, 22k bike ride, and 5k run.

“My goal is to finish the Lifetime Triathlon in one hour and 30 minutes,” said Antonio. “I’d like to have my best performance of 2013 at the world competition, so I’m using the Lifetime Triathlon as an opportunity to improve my swim, reduce transition times, and hammer on the last mile of the run.”

Dan Hun, a USAT Level 1 certified coach, Ironman finisher, and Dare2Tri coach, will guide Antonio.

“Israel is an inspiration to anyone, regardless of whether or not they have an impairment,” said G. Riley Mills, co-founder and COO of Pinnacle Performance Company. “He has proven he is among the elite Para triathletes in the world and we’re thrilled to play a small part in helping him shatter his personal records and achieve his dreams.”

Antonio lost his eyesight when he was 14 years old. In 2007, he was inspired to get back in shape after hearing interviews with a high profile celebrity trainer and the youngest person to ever compete in the Ironman. This past May, he was crowned the 2013 USA Paratriathlon National Champion (Male TRI-6A) at the CapTexTri in Austin, TX, which hosted the Paratriathlon National event. He completed the event with a time of 1:27:29. He will be among thirteen male triathletes from around the globe lining up at the start line of the Paratriathlon World Championships in September.

“It’s hard to believe a year ago I was at the back of the pack, a ‘just ‘happy to finish’ racer,” said Antonio. “Special thanks to my coach, Jenna Parker, who continues to offer valuable training guidance, for all the guides who continue to push me to achieve personal records and to my sponsors, - Pinnacle, C Different and Dare2tri, - for their encouragement and financial, equipment and emotional support.”

Three organizations sponsor Antonio:
• Pinnacle Performance Company, a communication training firm that applies acting techniques to improve one’s communication skills
• C Different Foundation, which inspires blind and visually impaired people to lead active, athletic lifestyles and actively works to create opportunities for visually impaired athletes to participate in athletic events.
• Dare2Tri, a Paratriathlon club dedicated to positively impacting the lives of athletes with physical disabilities or visual impairments by providing opportunities to develop their skills in the sport of Paratriathlon while inspiring the community at large.

Pinnacle Performance Company provides individuals, from introverts to polished speakers, with the tools and techniques needed to become more influential communicators. By applying our innovative, three-step process, we show you how focusing on your message's objective and delivery will allow you to achieve specific audience reactions, captivate your audience and communicate like a true leader.

Pinnacle Performance Company’s exclusive master instructors have trained thousands of business people worldwide, including CEOs, senior executives, professional speakers, sales people, trainers, engineers, customer service reps and more. Its client roster includes well recognized brands and blue chip companies like Allstate, Capgemini, Qualcomm, Walgreens, RR Donnelley, Oracle, Barclays, Underwriters Laboratories, Apple, IBM, Devon Energy, Spectra Energy, CITGO, Shell, Wells Fargo, KPMG, Emirates Airlines, Infosys and more.

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This release was published on openPR.