Saturday, November 21, 2020 – Orlando, Florida – Chris Nikic, recent Ironman Florida Title recipient, was recognized at Exploria Stadium, home to the Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride, for his historical accomplishment of being the first athlete with Down syndrome to claim the Title of Ironman. Chris and his Ironman Title accomplishments were featured at the halftime mark of Orlando City's first ever season playoff match against New York City FC which proved to be one of the season's most exciting matches to date, filled with emotion and energy packed moments. Shown in the halftime video clip, as Chris, a 21-year old from Maitland, Florida, ran the final yards toward the finish line of Ironman Florida on Saturday, November 7 in Panama City, Florida, he kept stopping to hug family and friends cheering him from the sidelines. Not only did he make history as the first athlete with Down syndrome to claim the title of Ironman — completing a consecutive 2.4-mile ocean swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run — he carved out a few stolen moments to celebrate it along the way. A valuable reminder to us all to celebrate life's moments, great and small. He certainly earned those celebratory moments. And as Exploria Resorts celebrates the art of the family vacation and specifically memorable family moments spent together on vacation, hosting Chris to celebrate his accomplishment was an honor witnessed by all in attendance. Joined in the Exploria Resorts suite by his father Nik, and several family friends Orlando City SC presented Chris with a customized Ironman Orlando City jersey and Exploria Resorts leadership presented the Nikic family with a one week vacation getaway at an Exploria Resorts destination of his choice. The presentation was a highlight for everyone in attendance at Exploria Stadium as Chris's excitement was put on display by dancing his happy dance and hugging all the Exploria Resorts team members gathered for the presentation. “As part of our dedication to bringing families together to experience memorable moments, meeting Chris and his family and friends today, and hosting them as our guests of Exploria Resorts,was an absolute joy. This kid is extraordinary. It was incredible to celebrate him” commented Dan Pesko, VP Sales & Marketing, Exploria Resorts. Chris began swimming as a kid in his parents' back-yard pool and at 16 tried his first “sprint” triathlon — a dramatically shorter version of the Ironman. But he lost two years of training because of repeated surgeries to reconstruct his ear canals, which, in people with Down syndrome, are prone to chronic infections. When he restarted, he could barely swim a single lap or run 100 yards without stopping. But in January 2018, Nikic signed up for a newly launched triathlon program through Special Olympics Florida. It began with a series of group training sessions on the bike, on the running trails and in the open water. Two Orlando area race organizations, Epic Sports and Sommer Sports, soon included Special Olympics divisions within their triathlons. At one of those open-water training sessions, a 1-kilometer swim at an Orlando lake, first-timers who make the distance sign their names on a wall. “Chris world champ,” Nikic wrote. This led to a discussion with his dad, who's also a swimmer. They talked about doing triathlons and, eventually, an Ironman. Chris Nikic shows off his training plan for Ironman Florida. (Courtesy of Nikic family) “I realized, ‘Why not? Why can't he do an Ironman?'” Nik said. “So I gave him a piece of paper... and I said, ‘Why don't you write down your dreams? Tell me what you want out of your life.'” His son didn't have to ponder long. He wants his own house, he wrote. He wants his own car. And he wants to get married. Nik insists the dreams are conceptual, not literal, but his son has repeated them at least once a day during the two years of training since. Its greater purpose, Nik said, is to help his son learn to set goals and work toward them incrementally. “Kids with Down syndrome, typically, when they graduate from high school, start living a life of isolation. They don't go on to college; they don't get a job,” Nik said. 'Any level of inclusion they had, which was minimal, falls off a cliff. But Chris now trains six, seven days a week with friends. He goes and meets them at the lake, he goes to the track and runs with them, they come to our neighborhood and he ride bikes with them. He calls them every night, and they take his phone call... and they invite him to their homes. The greatest gift that Chris has gotten in all this is the gift of belonging.” Chris's Ironman title has landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records and has inspired so many people around the globe. His outlook through his training process has been simple: “Get 1% better every day” he stated proudly. “If I can get 1% better every day, so can you!” Congratulations Chris! Keep training hard! Your friends at Exploria Resorts are routing for you – one race at a time. About Orlando City SC: Orlando City SC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the league's 21st franchise in November 2013, becoming the first MLS team in the Southeast. The Lions began league play in March 2015, and in 2017, moved into its privately-owned downtown soccer stadium. In 2019, Orlando City SC will launch OCB in the newly-formed USL League One to bridge the gap between its successful youth development academy and the First Team. In November 2015, the Club announced its intention to bring professional women's soccer to Central Florida and launched Orlando Pride in National Women's Soccer League. The Pride began league play in April 2016 with a star-studded team of FIFA World Cup Champions. For more information, visit orlandocitysc.com or orlando-pride.com. About Club Exploria, LLC and Exploria Resorts Club Exploria, LLC and the Exploria Resorts brand were built upon more than 20 years of proven success as a diversified hospitality, development, and management company. With approximately 800 ONE TEAM members, the Exploria Resorts brand is represented in four primary marketing and sales operations to support the collection of resorts and hotels located in family vacation destinations throughout Florida, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Missouri. As the official vacation club of Orlando City SC since June, 2019, Exploria Resorts has partnered with Major League Soccer's Orlando City Soccer Club celebrating our shared passion for sport and vacation. Together, from the family tourism capital of the world, Orlando, Florida, our mutual goal of bringing families together to make memories for a lifetime further provides collaborative philanthropic opportunities to support youth by investing in student athletes and their family communities, helping them to thrive and achieve their dreams. Chris has chosen a family vacation to Summer Bay Orlando by Exploria Resorts. With three beautiful resorts throughout Florida, which one would you choose? View featured offers here!
