Another paramedic on the Ironman Global Stage

With the 2024 Olympic Games taking place in Paris from 26 July to 11 August, we are putting a number of sports stars from Ambulance Victoria (AV) in the spotlight.

Ray Whittington, a paramedic at Ferntree Gully, thought an Ironman triathlon – a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and a marathon run – was unachievable when he first started competing in triathlons in 2018.

Now, not only has he completed one, he has done it on the world stage after taking to the course at the 2023 Ironman World Championships in Nice, France.

Ironman requires discipline to stick to your long-term goals and training plans, which the counselor says is challenging but rewarding.

“I like having a long-term goal and putting 100 percent into it,” Ray said.

“It obviously takes a lot of training over many months, but it is worth it because of the reward you get when you achieve something this big.

“When I started doing short triathlons, Ironman seemed like an impossible dream. It’s cool to see what you can achieve and what your body can do.”

Ray became a paramedic at AV in 2014 and it was that career choice that set him on the path to Ironman.

“I used to play hockey, but as a care provider it can be difficult to continue playing team sports,” he says.

“I started with open water swimming and that’s how I got into short distance triathlons.

“I built up distance over time until I did my first Ironman in 2022. I have now completed five Ironman races, including the world championships.”

The training to become an Ironman is intense, often requiring more than 20 hours of swimming, running, cycling and more to get his body in top condition.

Ray said he couldn’t do it without the support of his partner Sarah.

“It can be difficult to balance training and work at times, so it’s important to have good support at home,” Ray said.

“Sarah is so incredibly helpful. I don’t know how she puts up with me hardly ever being home!

“She’s the one who keeps everything together, while I just work, train and sleep.

“She’s the only reason I can work full time and train so much.”

To thank him, Ray planned a fantastic proposal at the finish of the Ironman World Championships in Nice, wearing the ring throughout the race.

“I had the ring stuck on my wrist, the swim was very stressful!” said Ray.

“I proposed to her in the arrivals hall, before I even crossed the finish line.

“I wanted it to be a sign of what we can achieve together with each other’s support.”

For Ray, Nice was about the experience and completing the tough course.

His new goal is to compete again at the world championships in 2026, when the men’s race will be held at the iconic Kona circuit in Hawaii.

“I’m really excited to go to Kona and was hoping to qualify this year,” said Ray.

“I did the Ironman in Cairns in June and was hoping to get a spot in Kona, but that didn’t happen, so I have to re-evaluate my plan and focus on 2026.

“Cairns was quite important because it was the first time I exceeded 10 hours.

“Now that the race is over, Sarah and I can start planning our wedding.”

Ray isn’t the only Ironman at AV. Click here to read more about Jacqui Graham, who will be competing in the 2024 Ironman World Championships in September.