EXCLUSIVE: Meet the blind Ironman who competed in St. George

ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4) — A California man who lost his vision at 18 came to Utah Saturday to compete in the Ironman 70.3 St. George North American Championship.

Adrian Broca began losing his vision due to a genetic condition called Leber’s Optic Neuropathy. However, his condition has never deterred him from competing.

“Endurance sports saved his life as a teenager,” Broca’s wife, Brenda Arechiga, told ABC4.com.

To compete, Broca relies on sighted guides like Nate Zarlengo, an Ironman from Herriman, Utah.

“He’s fast and he has high goals, so I’m just trying to be there and pace him and make sure he’s meeting his goals,” Zarlengo said.

The two met at a 2021 race in Sacramento, California when Zarlengo volunteered to guide Broca, a stranger at the time. The event was rained out, but their friendship only grew.

“It’s so amazing being able to run with him.” Zarlengo told ABC4.com. “It’s like running with a rockstar.”

The Ironman duo finished the race with a time of six hours and 10 minutes, placing second in the physically challenge division.

Broca and Zarlengo compete in the St. George North American Championship (Courtesy: Nate Zarlengo)

Broca says he set his personal record at a marathon in St. George in 2007, making it a special place for him.

The Ironman 70.3 St. George North American Championship is a triathlon race that includes running, biking, and swimming. Each event combines for a total of 70.3 miles traveled.