The 34-year-old from Solothurn has found her way back to her old strength after a difficult 2021 season. Ryf becomes Ironman World Champion for the fifth time in the US state of Utah.
Reporting back impressively: the Swiss triathlete Daniela Ryf.
(sda) Ryf was able to set herself apart from her competitors in her parade discipline, the bike course. She rounded off her great competition, which she finished in 8:34:59 hours, with a marathon in under three hours.
At the finish, the Swiss Sportswoman of the Year 2018 cried out her joy, at the same time she showed all the fingers of her right hand – pointing to the five Ironman World Championship titles she had won. She won the first four from 2015 to 2018 on Big Island, Hawaii. In 2019 at the last event, Ryf was disappointed with 13th place due to stomach problems.
“We had to wait two and a half years, now I’m so happy. The last ten kilometers was so brutal, I wanted to lie down. But crossing the finish line in front of so many fans and in front of my team, which supported me even in the difficult months, was great. What a day,” said Ryf shortly after crossing the finish line in St. George and before second-placed Kat Matthews crossed the finish line. The Brit lost almost nine minutes to the Swiss. Ryf also parted ways with longtime coach Brett Sutton last year, during which she also struggled with health setbacks.
Kristian Blummenfelt won the men’s race. The Norwegian, who won the Olympic triathlon in Tokyo last July, won his first Ironman World Championship triumph in 7:49:16 hours, almost five minutes ahead of Lionel Sanders. The Canadian pushed past New Zealand’s Braden Currie in the last few 100 meters.
The competition in St. George was held as a replacement for the 2021 postponed World Cup. As usual, a second Ironman World Championship this year will take place in Hawaii in October.
triathlon St George, Utah (USA). Ironman World Championships (3.8km swim/180km bike ride/42.195km run). Men: 1. Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) 7:49:16. 2. Lionel Sanders (CAN) 7:54:03. 3. Braden Currie (NZL) 7:54:19. – Women: 1. Daniela Ryf (SUI) 8:34:59. 2. Kat Matthews (GBR) 8:43:49. 3. Anne Haug (GER) 8:47:04.