Saturday 16 August 2025 saw nearly 5,000 people flock to Dorney Lake for the Superhero Tri, powered by Marvel, the world’s only grassroots disability sports event, for a sun-soaked celebration of courage, determination, and teamwork.
Now in its ninth year, the Superhero Tri is a unique mass-participation event exclusively for people with disabilities, where the needs of participants are placed front and centre. Inspired by the Marvel Universe, Everyday Superheroes lined up alongside Paralympians, celebrity captains, and role models to tackle swim, cycle, and push/run stages in three different distances.
Some heroes flew solo to complete all three stages, while many formed Sidekick teams – towing, pushing, and pulling each other around the course in a true display of team spirit.
CREDIT: Superhero Series
Among the far-flung participants were 14-year-old twins Caleb and Callistus Armstrong from Enniskillen, 11-year-old Sienna from Swansea, 22-year-old Poppy Morrison and South African accessibility campaigner and DJ, Siyanda Makanya (aka DJ Kabila). All travelled hundreds – or thousands – of miles to be part of the legendary event.
Jayne Armstrong, mum to Caleb and Callistus, said: “There’s something magical when you put together a team of mixed abilities and everyone supports each other round the course and crosses the finish line together… We’ve been coming since 2018, and it’s a fantastic family day out where we feel part of the Superhero Series family.”
Poppy Morrison travelled over 1,000 miles from her home in Inverness with her mum, aunt and family friend Sidekicks to take part in her first Superhero Tri. They came down by train but flew home. “Superhero Tri is a fantastic opportunity that allows me to enjoy two of my favourite sports, swimming and cycling, push my limits and achieve something that I never knew would be possible” says Poppy.
CREDIT: Superhero Series
This year’s event also featured the prestigious Golden Caping Ceremony, where Clare Balding CBE awarded seven remarkable young participants Golden Capes for their resilience and fundraising feats. The day was bursting with Disney magic – from the Marvel Avengers Training Initiative, which unleashed participants’ inner superpowers, to showcase matches in wheelchair basketball and rugby.
Deborah Armstrong, Senior Vice President, Disney Advertising EMEA and Country Manager UK & Ireland said: “We are so proud to support Superhero Tri powered by Marvel, seeing so many people embracing their inner superhero on Saturday at an event enjoyed in such a fun, inclusive, and celebratory way. It’s part of our commitment to creating moments that matter inspired by our incredible stories and characters.”
Celebrity Captains for 2025 include:
- Alex Brooker – TV presenter & comedian
- Stephen Miller – Multi-Paralympic club throwing champion
- Sophie Christiansen MBE – Paralympic equestrian champion
- Jordan Jarrett-Bryan – Sports reporter, DJ & journalist
- Briony May Williams – Celebrity chef & TV presenter
- Alistair Patrick-Heselton – Paralympic footballer
- Eve Roberts – Wheelchair basketball player & football EDI officer
- Erin Orford – Two-time European dressage medallist
- Josh Landmann – British national skiing champion & paratriathlete
- Will Bayley MBE – Paralympic table tennis champion
- Maisie Summers-Newton MBE – Paralympic swimming champion
- Brock Whiston – Paralympic swimming champion & four-time world record holder
CREDIT: Superhero Series
Superhero Tri, powered by Marvel shows (left to right) Callistus Hughes (from Enniskillen), Will Bayley MBE, Siyanda Makanya (from South Africa), event ambassador Clare Balding CBE, Carmela Chillery-Watson, Sienna Allen-Chaplin (from Swansea), Maisie Summers-Newton MBE and Caleb Hughes(from Enniskillen). CREDIT Superhero Series
Paralympian and founder of the Superhero Tri, Sophia Warner, said: “Every year I’m inspired by the effort people put into shaping their team, sourcing supportive gadgets and pulling together to get round the course. I’m also moved to know how far people will travel to be part of the day. It just goes to show what people are capable of doing when given the opportunity. Of course, another reason they will travel for hours is because we are the only mass-participation grassroots sports event centred on people with disabilities.
“Superhero Tri is powered by Marvel and people love to take on one of their super hero characters and channel the feeling of having a superpower. Giving people with a disability the chance to show the amazing things they can do sums up the day perfectly!”
A Disney VoluntEar said: “It was a privilege to volunteer at the Superhero Series and to see every participant celebrated for what they can do. Whether it was handing out medals at the finish line or offering support in the transition area, you come away feeling part of someone’s journey. Cheering on the superheroes around the course and being part of the team that helped them cross the finish line was incredibly inspiring.”
