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article_snippet.sent: Sean discovered Sean was able to lift weights and complete high-energy sprints on an exercise bike .
article_snippet.sent: Maria said: 'It was still a massive shock for me - it was the heaviest I'd ever been. '
article_snippet.sent: At first, even jogging on the spot left me absolutely breathless.'
article_snippet.sent: I was so proud of Maria. '
article_snippet.sent: As confidence boosters go, it was hard to beat, and I was amazed when I was announced as the runner-up.' '
article_snippet.sent: Reaching second place qualified me to compete in a professional category.
article_snippet.sent: Athletes train for years to reach that level, so I felt incredibly lucky.'