Carlos Moleda grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, chasing adventure and skating in world championships before moving to the United States at 18. That love for risk and challenge eventually led him into the Navy, where he set his sights on becoming a Navy SEAL. At first, it seemed out of reach—he couldn’t even swim the full pool length required during training. But he refused to quit, taught himself to swim, and returned to earn his place among the elite. 

Combat Injury and a New Beginning 

In 1989, during Operation Just Cause in Panama, Carlos’s unit came under heavy fire while securing an airfield. He was shot near his spine and paralyzed from the waist down. Four teammates were killed that day. Carlos survived, but the future was suddenly unclear. Lying in a hospital bed, he had no frame of reference for what life in a wheelchair could look like. 

Everything changed when a physical therapist introduced him to a racing chair. Rolling down the hall of the VA hospital, and later training in the park with a mentor, Carlos discovered that sport could rebuild his life. He had always been driven by challenges, and soon a new one appeared: the IRONMAN World Championship. 

 Breaking Barriers in Triathlon 

By the late 1990s, athletes like John Maclean of Australia had proven it was possible to complete the grueling triathlon using a handcycle and racing chair. Carlos wanted to push further. In 1998, he qualified and raced in Kona, crossing the finish line in 10:55—faster than able-bodied champions had gone in the early years of the event. That day he wasn’t defined by his wheelchair, but recognized as an athlete competing alongside everyone else. 

Carlos went on to win the IRONMAN World Championship handcycle division five times. His rivalry with former motocross racer David Bailey became one of the most exciting stories in endurance sports, drawing crowds who cheered not out of sympathy but out of respect for two athletes battling for the same prize. 

 Expanding the Adventure 

Beyond Kona, Carlos has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, completed the Race Across America, and won the 367-mile Sadler’s Ultra Challenge in Alaska. He is also a two-time U.S. National Handcycling Champion and was inducted into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame. 

 Giving Back Through Sport 

Today, Carlos continues to shape the future of adaptive sports. As a coach for CAF Operation Rebound and a leader of the CAF Women’s Handcycling Team, he passes on his knowledge and builds community for the next generation. To him, the most powerful part of sport is belonging—the moment when athletes with physical disabilities are recognized not as exceptions but as competitors. 

“CAF is not just an organization,” Carlos says. “It’s a family. It’s where you find support, resources, and a path forward.” 

 Help Fuel the Next Finish Line 

Athletes like Carlos Moleda show what’s possible when opportunity meets determination. With your support, more people with physical disabilities can access the equipment, coaching, and community that open doors to sport and beyond. Join us in making sure no athlete is left on the sidelines.