Multi-awarded, one-legged Ilonggo triathlete Rodolfo “Rudy” Fernandez of Ajuy, Iloilo has died.
Born on Dec. 5, 1947, Fernandez earned the moniker “Iron Man of Asia” for his amazing athleticism despite his disability.
Fernandez competed in running, swimming and cycling, and prided himself in always finishing the race despite his handicap.
In 1996, he created buzz by swimming from Guimaras to Iloilo.
Fernandez became a torchbearer for two multi-sport events: the 2001 Southeast Asian Games and the Palarong Pambansa 2005.
A middle distance runner, Fernandez was a member of the national team for running from 1972 to 1976. But he had an amputation at the thigh of his right leg in 1978 following a bomb explosion at Alegro Theater in Iloilo City.
He began using a mechanical hydraulic prosthetic leg in the 1980s. This, however, only challenged him to test the limits of his physical power — and he proved to all and sundry that his disability was not a hindrance to his athleticism.
On Jan. 2, 2022 at age 74, Fernandez succumbed to stroke.
