Swimming Life Experience Series

You have likely heard the phrase from a certain action-packed motion picture - “it’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me”.

Sasha Bejjany is no superhero.

Throughout her life she has been confronting challenges – and doing so with success.

There were times, way back in her teenage years, when she did have some difficulties, rebelled at almost everything and became fed up with distractions.

Years after her evolution from a confused teen to a confident adult, married and the mother of three, Bejjany (nee Elmitt) is a tireless champion - and in so many ways.

Her name has become synonymous with an expertly personal executed technique in running, cycling, and swimming. Winning may be fun, and she has boxes of medals to her credit, but what counts even more is the enjoyment and jolt of excitement that she experiences every time she competes.

The pleasurable activities, albeit strenuous, really does wonders for her endorphins.

Influential, inspiring and a motivator for others, Bejjany is doing one thing after another in life. Each time, it was with a thrill that can best be compared to sitting in the front seat of a rollercoaster.

While she claims to like a low profile, it’s the fame, accomplishments, and personal triumph that can attract oodles of attention.

Bejjany lives in the charming rural farmland community of Baden, located about 20 minutes west of Kitchener. When she’s not competing in various triathlons and marathons, you just might catch her working a few days a week in a part time gig serving people at a popular drive thru coffee shop - the one named after a hockey player.

But it was at the age of eight, after swim lessons in Guelph, that things started to go sour.

“I had tried out for the Fergus swim team, but was told that I wasn’t good enough,” she recalled. “It sticks with me now - and I wasn’t happy. But I then had an opportunity, at the Guelph Marlins Learn to Swim program, and that led to me becoming a competitive swimmer.”

Things were turning for the best – and especially when, as a freestyle swimmer, she advanced to the highest level at the Region of Waterloo Swim Club. One of her coaches back then was Dean Boles, now the Chief Executive Officer of Swim Ontario.

She speaks very highly of him, and others, who focussed on bringing out the best in herself as a swimmer. Her parents also spent countless hours making sure she got to workouts, training, and various meets.

Then, another roadblock.

“It was after grade 9 that I just had enough,” she said. “I hated swimming, whether it was the ocean, the hot tub, the lake, and anything to do with water. I also didn’t like school. Grades 10 and 11 were terrible and I ended up dropping out of school and just wanted a break - to hang out with friends.”

She did return to school, and graduated as a mature student, after realizing that working as a housekeeper at a hotel wasn’t her thing. For the record, there have been many successful people in a variety of careers that have done extremely well without finishing high school.

Life had changed from the classroom and pool to what became 18 years of working at a restaurant. She also got married at age 21.

It would take some 30 years before she would return to swimming – and that came with a new focus on the world of athletics. This time, as a triathlete.

“It was 2013, I had been a stay-at-home mom and by then I had gained a lot of weight,” said Bejjany. “I needed to do something - a life change and wanted to be healthy and skinny again. I had signed up to a weight-watchers program and met a superb instructor, Nancy Hallman.”

That just may have been the start of something big.

Bejjany signed up for a speed walking race. What would follow was running a five kilometres race. Then, a half marathon.

She dug into her savings to buy an expensive, but previously used, racing bike. Forget any defiance, she threw down the gauntlet and added ultra-running and marathons to her accomplishments.

An ultra-marathon amounts to running at least 200 miles. In 2023, only 424 people and with about 25% of them being women, finished that kind of a challenge in North America. One of them was Bejjany.

Perseverance kicked in and Bejjany made up her mind to quit smoking – which occurred in a 24-hour span.

“Swimming was a struggle, just terrible returning to the pool and took me a good year to get back to it - but the medals started in 2014 and my first triathlon was two years later,” said Bejjany.

“I never thought any of this would have happened. One per cent of the world’s population runs marathons and I’m in that group. Some people call me crazy, but what I do keeps me happy, creates lots of energy and I hope my journey will inspire others.”

As for some of her recent achievements, take a deep breath. They include competing in a Mount Everest marathon in Nepal in 2019. Toss in back-to-back 2022 Ironman competitions in Texas and Penticton, B.C. Each one, starting with a swim 3.9 kilometres, then 180.2 kilometres cycling followed by a run of 42.2 kilometres. In 2023, it was an ultra-marathon of some 200 miles in Atlanta.

Now, at age 51, and with 15 pairs of shoes she uses for various competitions, Bejjany has no intention of hanging up the running shoes, storing the bicycle and tucking the bathing suit in the drawer. In fact, she has had a coach for the past six years who has structured a dedicated program of workouts in cycling, running, and swimming. His name is Mike Fecik, whose forte is in endurance sports.

“I have done some exciting stuff, gone around the world and it’s all been a journey in my life,” she said. “It’s not over yet, there is so much I still want to do including swim runs, stay active and keep challenging things that matter to me. You really do learn a lot about yourself.”

Talk with Bejjany and what becomes clear is the constant drive and determination for success.

“I love talking about what I do, motivating people and telling them that I have done it, and they can as well – and it doesn’t have to be in swimming, cycling or running.”

As for other things that keep her busy, Bejjany finds a way to take part in a boot camp, play in a women’s recreational volleyball league and, oh yes, devote a few days a week at that local drive-thru.

David Grossman is a veteran multi award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 50+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations.