John McAvoy, the career criminal turned indoor rowing world record holder who became a Nike sponsored Ironman triathlete, has announced that he has signed a contract to turn his life story into a feature film. Until now McAvoy turned away those who wished to dramatise his life story into a feature film, because it “never felt right creatively”.
Credit Benedict Tufnell
“To me a feature film was a vehicle to make a positive change in this world and show people that change is possible. I wanted a film to demonstrate no matter how long you’ve travelled down the wrong road you can always turn it around and reach your true potential in this world.”
Credit Benedict Tufnell
McAvoy whose autobiography, Redemption: From Iron Bars to Ironman details his journey from armed robber to endurance athlete, told his social media followers: “Yesterday I signed a contract to turn my life into a feature film as the team working with me will do it justice and I trust them implicitly to do an amazing job of telling my life journey. I will make sure that the opportunities that this film brings will help me open up doors for others to walk through with me especially young people.”
Credit Benedict Tufnell
The Fulham Reach Boat Club ambassador is a strong advocate for using the power of sport to enable positive change. McAvoy, whose latest endurance challenge was the (alpine) UTMB Mount Blanc MCC, in Chamonix, France, regularly shares his own story of rehabilitation to help and inspire others to change their lives for the better.
“Life is a crazy journey as it’s nearly 10 years to the day I walked out of prison a free man and now I sign a Hollywood film contact on the top of a mountain 🏔 Never give up on a dream and keep fighting no matter how hard and long it takes you 💫”
John McAvoy shares how he rebuilt his life through rowing in Issue 9
