Polish triathlete Gabriela “Gabi” Gaweł sits down with me to trace a late-blooming athletic journey shaped by loss, resilience, and a cross-border life. Gabi shares how losing her father at 15 rippled through the next decade, why therapy became the turning point, and how learning to slow down in the pool became a metaphor for pacing life. She talks about growing up near the Ukrainian border, cultural humor gaps, and the confidence she found training in Tucson’s protected bike paths.

We get into sibling dynamics (the brother who said she “couldn’t” — and later bought her first bike), starting triathlon from zero during COVID, navigating visas between the U.S. and Canada, and the very Tucson way she met pro triathlete Mark Dubrick. Gabi closes with practical advice for anyone carrying unprocessed hurt: ask for help, expect work, and stay consistent.

Gabriela’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/gabriela_gawel/

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