Domestic violence survivor Sophie Villani prepares to take on Cairns Ironman event
When Sophie Villani started training for the Cairns 70.3 Ironman she was still running from the trauma of domestic violence. This is her empowering story.
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When Sophie Villani started training for the Cairns 70.3 Ironman she was still running from the trauma of domestic violence.
Now she is getting ready to run towards the finish line as a survivor of the race and harrowing abuse.
Villani cuts the figure of your typical triathlete. She’s athletic, strong and confident but her journey to the 2025 70.3 Cairns triathlon was kickstarted as a pathway to recovery from a painful chapter in her life.
She said she had experienced abuse in a past relationship.
“As a physiotherapist, I knew the best thing for me to turn to was exercise”, she said, adding that she knew tri training could help her recover.
Her experience prompted her to start her Instagram page, @runfromdv, which documents her journey.
“I think all I’m really trying to achieve is to get people talking,” she said.
“When I got out of the situation I was in, I spoke to some other people and found they had gone through similar things but had never wanted to share it.
“I think there’s some shame there which causes people to suffer in silence.
“We all hear about domestic violence or coercive control in the media, but we often don’t know what they mean or what they might look like.
“Starting the Instagram page was a chance to explain to people in simple terms what these things look like.”
While putting yourself out there on social media can be a nerve-racking experience, Villani said the response had been great.
“The response has been incredibly positive, which is great because I was a bit nervous about the trolling that you sometimes see on other people’s pages.
“The page isn’t particularly big, and I’m not putting pressure on myself to make it explode.
“I’ve had people reach out to me to discuss their experiences. It’s sad but also comforting in a way, that we can relate back to one another.”
Villani said being a part of a support network of other triathletes through her club Ignite Endurance had done wonders for her mental health.
“It’s been incredible for me as I heal from that experience, not just because of the exercise but because of the club itself,” she said.
“I had a place to go every day, and I knew that the people there would make me smile and ask me how I was.
“Not that they knew much, but they were still genuinely interested in how I was and what I was up to.
“Abusive relationships can often make you feel isolated, and this was something that helped me break out of that mindset.”
She said the club had been important for her as a means of “staying accountable” to something and keeping herself in a positive frame of mind.
Villani said at times she would retreat from the club.
“I didn’t feel well within myself so I didn’t want to connect to people.
“Once I figured out what was going on, I reached out to Nick (Carling, Ignite Endurance coach) to get me signed up for a couple of races so I was forced to go to training.
“It helped me to be accountable to something every day.”
While her seven day a week training regimen may sound gruelling, Villani said she enjoys the process as much as the end result.
“There’s a fine line between it being beneficial and it being overly taxing on the body,” she said.
“With my background in physiotherapy I kind of know where that line is.
“It’s not just when you feel a bit sore, that’s normal with exercise.
“When I feel achy or injured, I know to pull back a bit.”
She revealed the assistance of the experienced coaches at the club had been a critical component in keeping her on track
“As long as you’re conditioned and you fuel yourself properly and get enough sleep you’re normally OK,” she said.
“I didn’t know a lot of the nutritional side of things, which is something that Nick has been super helpful with.
“Whether it’s a lack of carbohydrates or sodium, he can point those sorts of things out.
“As long as you’re mindful of keeping those other things beyond exercise in check, it actually feels really good for your body.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, you should report it to police.
Support and counselling is available from the following agencies:
DVConnect Womensline: 1800 811 811
DVConnect Mensline: 1800 600 636
1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732
13YARN: 13 92 76
More information is also available from the Queensland Government Domestic and Family Violence portal.
Originally published as Domestic violence survivor Sophie Villani prepares to take on Cairns Ironman event
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