Completed the Race in 16 Hours, 45 Minutes, and 26 Seconds
Registered in the Guinness World Records as the Oldest Finisher
The Ironman World Championship is an extreme triathlon held annually in Kona, Hawaii, where participants must swim 3.86 kilometers in the Hawaiian sea, cycle 180.25 kilometers across the lava desert, and finish with a 42.195-kilometer marathon. Natalie participated in the event on October 11 and completed the race in 16 hours, 45 minutes, and 26 seconds. After ten attempts, she finally crossed the finish line, becoming the oldest finisher in the history of the competition.
After the race, Natalie said, "I managed hydration and energy replenishment well, and I paced myself so I never ran out of energy." She added, "More than the race results, I think people will remember a good attitude and a smile."
Natalie began competing in triathlons 20 years ago, at the age of 60. She recalled, "I grew up in the 1940s and 1950s, and back then there were no organized sports for girls and young women. But I always liked being active and was always competitive, whether in sports or academics."
After graduating from college, Natalie learned to ski and play tennis, but only began running in her late 30s. In her 40s and 50s, she enjoyed participating in local races ranging from 5 kilometers to half marathons. She only started learning to swim at age 59 in order to compete in triathlons. Natalie advised, "Work out hard and consistently, and pay close attention to your physical condition. To enjoy daily training, it's important to find a sport you can stick with consistently."
Previously, in 2020, a young American in his 20s with Down syndrome moved many by completing a triathlon after nearly 17 hours of effort. It was the first time in the world that a person with Down syndrome had finished a triathlon.
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