Born with cerebral palsy, he crossed an Ironman finish line with his brother by his side

Time of India

25-04-2025

Credit: Instagram/@miguelfpinto
'In life, there is nothing impossible. There are barriers in the path of what you may want to accomplish, but no impossibles. And barriers were made to be thrown down.'
With these words spoken at a TEDx talk, Miguel Martins introduced the story of the Iron Brothers—a movement born not just out of
athletic ambition
, but out of love,
resilience
, and a determination to raise awareness for
cerebral palsy
.
Pedro, now 31 years old, lives with cerebral palsy. Alongside his brother Miguel, the two created
Iron Brothers
, the first special team from Portugal to take on the Ironman—a grueling triathlon comprising a 3.8 km open-water swim, a 180 km bike ride, and a full 42.2 km marathon run. Their goal was not just to finish the race, but to launch a national movement supporting individuals with cerebral palsy, especially through sports.
The idea began around 2021, when Pedro and Miguel first heard about the
Ironman competition
. Pedro saw this as more than just a race. He envisioned it as a platform—a way to raise awareness about the lack of support and resources available to people with cerebral palsy, and to raise funds for the Association of Cerebral Palsy of Lisbon (APCL), the institution he considers his 'second home.'
Pedro wanted to be the one asking for help, not his parents. Miguel explained in the documentary Iron Brothers: 'My brother had a project that was to help his school, the APCL, which was his second home. His eyes shined, when he realized that he could be the one asking for that help, and not the parents. It was the perfect opportunity.'
Competing in the Ironman is a challenge for even the most elite athletes. But doing it with a disabled teammate requires extraordinary effort and coordination. Miguel takes on the full physical load of the race while Pedro rides with him: he tows Pedro in a canoe for the swim, cycles with him in an adapted tandem bike, and pushes him in a specially designed racing wheelchair for the run.
Before the Ironman, the duo participated in several other events to build momentum and visibility. They completed numerous 10K runs, a full marathon, several half marathons, and even a half Ironman. But it was their successful completion of a full Ironman that truly captured public attention.
With the Iron Brothers project, Miguel and Pedro called on individuals and companies to contribute symbolic donations to support their mission. The funds raised go directly to APCL, helping the organization purchase vital resources such as wheelchairs, specialized hygiene cranes, and accessible buses for families who can't afford them.
Credit: Instagram/@miguelfpinto
Miguel emphasizes: 'With good conditions, everyone like Pedro can communicate simple things such as 'I have to go to the toilet,' 'I need to eat,' 'I need physiotherapy.' All we need is to create the conditions for it. We want to raise awareness that everyone like Pedro can have what he has, because his family has the means for it.'
Today, Iron Brothers has grown into a nationwide movement. It has inspired many families of individuals with cerebral palsy to become more involved in sports and to advocate for better support systems.
Credit: Instagram/@miguelfpinto
At the heart of it all is the powerful relationship between two brothers. Their journey has not only changed the way Portugal views disability and sport but has also brought deeper meaning to their own lives.
Pedro shares: 'We became much better people because my brother exists in our lives. If he didn't exist, we wouldn't realize so fully how is it to love someone so selfless. He had all to say 'I am not happy, I have a disability and I cannot do exactly what others do.' But he shows that to be happy is to do simple things, such as gathering the family every weekend and having a different program every weekend. It is a blessing in our lives. I think people don't really understand this, without living it.'