Guy Leech
World Ironman Champion
GO BIG (Or Go Home)
In front of 120,000 spectators on a stifling hot day on the Gold Coast in 1984 an unknown Manly teenager rose against the odds & cemented his name in Australia’s sporting history by winning the inaugural Coolangatta Gold.
The first professional Ironman race in the world that was borne out of a movie with the same name, the race covered the Gold Coast coastline from Surfers Paradise to Coolangatta & back spanning 46km. One hundred of the fittest surf athletes from around the world competed for the chance to make history & pick up $20,000 worth of gold bullion.
Guy dominated the longer ironman races over his 15-year career, never being beaten in any event lasting more than 2 hrs. A feat that no other ironman has replicated.
Guy took all and sundry on a most entertaining and emotional journey of his decorated sporting career, however, it was Guy's post Iron Man exploits that captivated and enthralled his audience most. Listeners were simply blown away by Guy's ability to take a crushing, devastating blow such as losing a close lifelong friend to a sudden cardiac arrest and change direction to now being the number one distributor of defibrillators in Aust. To a person, those who listened to Guy speak, walked away inspired and determined to make a difference in their local communities.
