Zeroual Zeroual

Zeroual Zeroual will carry the Olympic torch. This is his story:

Zeroual had been a hardcore runner since 1996 when, two years ago, he had to stop due to serious back issues that put him in a wheelchair. He stood at a fork in the road: surgery or rehabilitation through sport. He made the choice of sport, perseverance, a resolute commitment and never giving up.

Now, he is proud to be pounding the tarmac again at the half marathon or trail running level, over distances of about 25 kilometres. He has also crowned the Mont Pelat, which tops out at over 3,000 metres, twice on a bicycle. Next up on his agenda: conquering the notoriously brutal southern ascent of the Mont Ventoux on his mountain bike, starting from Bedoin. This is not Zeroual's first rodeo with this challenging climb —he has tackled it ten times already on hikes and trail runs.

This year, he is pinning on a bib for his 13th race. While he may not be the same runner he once was, he has pushed his limits and discovered a whole new way to experience life through sport. As Zeroual puts it, "together, we can go further". Life is beautiful, and sport is his life.