Chelsea Sodaro wins first Ironman Kona World title for USA in 20 years
The 33-year-old American clinches victory on her Ironman Kona World Championships debut in Hawaii.
Triathlon
The streak is over. Team USA finally has an Ironman Kona World Championship title for the first time since 2002.
That honour went to Chelsea Sodaro, a surprise winner given she never competed on the top-tier World Series at the Olympic triathlon distance.
The 33-year-old crossed the line in 8 hours 33 minutes 46 seconds in Hawaii, coming from fifth place after the swimming and cycling sections to win with a 2:51:45 marathon run.
It was just Sodaro's second triathlon over the Ironman distance, having finished second on her debut over the distance in July. She became the first U.S. athlete to win a Kona Ironman world title since Tim DeBoom took the men's race in 2002, and the first U.S. woman since Paula Newby-Fraser won in 1996.
"I'm pretty stoked that I think I maybe get to take the rest of the year off and be a mom for a month or so," Sodaro said afterwards of her 18-month-old daughter, according to NBC Sports.
The last time an athlete won the world title on debut was 15 years ago, when Chrissie Wellington won for Great Britain.
The men's Elite race takes place on Saturday 8 October.
READ: Ironman World Championship 2022: Preview, schedule and how to watch
2022 Ironmon Kona World Championships women's results
Top 5:
1. Chelsea Sodaro (USA) 8:33:46
2. Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) 8:41:37
3. Anne Haug (GER) 8:42:22
4. Laura Philipp (GER) 8:50:31
5. Lisa Norden (SWE) 8:54:43