Sebestian Engwald.
Sebestian Engwald.
Sebastian Engwald’s indomitable spirit stretches back to 1999. At age 11, his left leg was pulled through the propeller of his sailing coach’s boat as he practiced a capsizing drill, and his life changed forever. Within eight months of having his leg amputated, Sebastian was back on the water and represented Denmark at the national and international level.
In 2013, Sebastian climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, reaching the summit despite dehydration. His water had frozen during the final 10-hour hike through the night to scale the peak, but still, he sat at the top, taking photos, recording videos for his parents, and capturing his emotions for others.
In 2016, inspired by his uncle, Jensen completed his first Ironman triathlon close to his home in Copenhagen. Currently 38th in his classification, and with his three best events counting towards his position in the standings, Jensen will head to Madrid and Japan in the next few months to bump up his ranking. Ultimately, to receive an invitation to compete in Tokyo, he needs to be inside the top 10 in his specific category during the qualification period.
The activity is an arduous and costly pursuit. But, true to form, Sebastian is up for the fight. “They say it’s cool that I’m so open about my disability. And that makes me feel really cool. I hope it encourages people to come out of their shell, too.”
In December 2019, Sebastian and his wife welcomed a beautiful baby girl to the world. Sebastian adds, “Not a day has gone by since, where she hasn’t been my number one reason for chasing my dreams even more than before.”