Ironman competitor Petero Manoa is breaking ground for triathlon in Fiji

When the competitors in Saturday's Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand line up on the Taupo lakefront, all of them will have come a long way.

But for Petero Manoa, 34, the journey has been an especially long one.

Petero is the first-ever Fijian entrant in an Ironman event, and he's overcome a series of hurdles just to make it to the start line.

He's in Taupo with fellow Ironman competitor Suva-based Kiwi Daniell Cowley, who met Petero through the Fijian Triathlon Association.

Ironman is not Petero's first international competition - he has competed in the Pacific Island Triathlon Championships and the Fiji International Triathlon for the last half dozen years, usually achieving a place in the top three - but this weekend is his first attempt at the full Ironman distance.

In Fiji, where sport is dominated by rugby, triathlon is a completely new sport and gaining sponsorship and recognition has been difficult. Sourcing equipment and a road bike has also been a challenge in a country that does not even have a bike shop.

Daniell says that while Fiji has plenty of good swimmers and there are some excellent runners, cycling can be difficult because of the lack of bikes.

"A lot of the kids are really keen but just to try and get even entry-level bikes is really a challenge."

Petero, who is originally from Macuata province on Vanua Levu, now lives in Suva and has started his own local club, Burning Rock Tri Cycling Club, bringing young boys and girls into the sport. Club members have already won two Pacific triathlon titles and three national titles and Petero's own four children are also becoming interested.

Petero says he has always done a lot of sport, including boxing, paddling and rugby, but he moved into triathlon when he was 26 because he liked the mixture of the three different disciplines.

"You have to push yourself over the limit, push your body," he says.

"The beautiful thing about triathlon is that it's painful but that pain is swift."

He was inspired to make the step up to Ironman after seeing a YouTube video about the event, often seen as the ultimate challenge in triathlon.

He paid his entry fee with the help of more than 50 small donations from supporters, has been donated a bike and hopes on the day just to finish before the 17-hour cutoff.

"I'm really relaxed. This will be my first Ironman and I'm happy to be the first Fijian to do it and that's what really excites me.

"Now I'm here in person and seeing all the big boys hanging around - after Saturday I'll be a big boy."

His favourite discipline is the swimming and the toughest part is the transition between bike and run.

"You feel a little bit drunk for the first few kilometres but after that it's perfectly normal."

Daniell and Petero are hoping for donations of new or good-condition used bikes for Fijian triathletes to train on. If you can help, email peteromanoa@gmail.com.