Saturday evening. I release a video on to social media.
Hello. I'm Gareth Thomas and I want to share my secret with you.
Why?
Because it's mine to tell you,
not the evils that make my life hell,
threatening to tell you before I do.
And because I believe in you and I trust you.
I am living with HIV.
At the same time, my interview with the Sunday Mirror goes online.
Radio and TV begin reporting the news.
The former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas
has revealed that he is living with HIV.
The former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas has revealed...
But I don't want to see any of it, so I head for my bed.
Tomorrow, I will compete in my first-ever Ironman.
Tomorrow I will face the world as a man living with HIV.
But tomorrow, will the world want to face me?
Sunday, 6:00 AM.
Thank you, bad. Come here, my lovely.
Have a good one, yeah? Enjoy it.
I'm out in public -
nervous, tentative, expecting the worst,
but so far not receiving it.
Oh, yeah, and I'm also doing an Ironman.
There you are. That's me, look, in the yellow cap.
Six months ago, I couldn't swim full stop.
Today, I swim two and a half miles at sea in one hour and 20 minutes.
CROWD SHOUT ENCOURAGEMENT
Next, it's a 112-mile bike ride.
I'm out of the water and I'm alive.
SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Enthusiastic husband aside,
I'm not really aware of how people are reacting to me, to my news.
I hear the odd shout of encouragement...
..clock a couple of flags.
But it's not until I start the marathon,
stripped down, slowed down, easily recognisable,
that it begins to sink in how people are reacting to me.
How do I feel?
I dunno.
CHEERING
Unburdened, overwhelmed,
still scared of what lies in front of me.
Then, as I hit the main street, I see my mum and Stephen
and I stop breathing.
I am literally choked with emotion.
But mostly relieved.
Relieved that finally, at 45 years of age,
after a lifetime of amazing moments,
amazing achievements, this is my biggest.
To appear for the first time ever in front of 40,000 people,
in front of the nation, in front of the world
as me.
The real, real me.
WHOOPING AND CHEERING
And Gareth's husband, Stephen, presents the medal.
Congratulations, Gareth.
You smashed it.
My name is Gareth Thomas.
I'm living with HIV.
And you know what?
I'm all right.