|
|
|
Newsletters>
Iron woman 2007
January 3, 2008
Iron woman is world champion
5 Dec 2007
Iron woman is world champion
One alumna has proved she can beat the best in one of the
world’s toughest sporting events, by becoming Ironman World
Champion 2007.
Despite only turning professional this year, 30-year-old
Chrissie Wellington (BSc Geography, 1998) was the clear
women’s winner of the Hawaii event, in which competitors
must complete a 2.4-mile ocean swim and 112-mile bike ride,
before running a 26-mile marathon.
Chrissie, a member of the Birmingham Running and Triathlon
Club (BRAT Club), says: ‘I’m surprised, ecstatic and
overwhelmed – I keep pinching myself to make sure it’s
real. It was a dream come true to finish, let alone to win.
‘I was so proud just to be on the start line at Kona – to
have the chance to pit myself against some of the best and
most experienced triathletes in the world is one thing I
have dreamed of since I took up the sport. I had a good
bike, going into the lead at about 130km, and I felt strong
going out on the run but I never thought I was going to win
until the last 10km.
‘To cross the line first, and more importantly to stand
there until midnight watching people achieve their dreams,
is a memory that will never fade and one that I will
treasure forever.’
In only her second Ironman competition, Chrissie managed an
overall time of nine hours, eight minutes and 45 seconds,
and can now boast the second fastest ever run in Kona with
a marathon time of two hours and 59 minutes. ‘I was hoping
for a place in the top ten so I still can’t quite believe I
won,’ she says.
Follow Chrissie’s blog at:
http://www.teamtbb.com/christinewellington/
University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
|
|
