Natalie Grabow demonstrated that age is merely a number by becoming the oldest woman ever to complete the demanding Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.
The 80-year-old American age-group athlete finished the 3.8 kilometre swim, 180 kilometre bike ride, and 42 kilometre run in 16 hours, 45 minutes, and 26 seconds.
Grabow won the F80-84 division during her tenth appearance at the prestigious Hawaii event.
The New Jersey resident discovered triathlon in her 60s after many years of running.
She qualified for this year’s World Championship with a time of 15 hours and 53 minutes at Ironman Maryland.
Grabow became the first woman to complete that race in the 75 to 79 age category.
“All of us in sport are competitive and want to do well, but it’s the journey that matters,“ Grabow said before the Kona race.
“If you’re an age-grouper, people rarely remember how you did in a race, but they remember that you had a good attitude, had a smile on your face, and were happy with your effort.”
“I’m so lucky to be able to do this, so I race with gratitude.”
Her coach Michelle Lake described her as resilient and disciplined while praising her steady training approach.
“She’s competitive. She doesn’t just race against her peers – she studies the men in her age group and finds ways to beat them,“ Lake said.
Grabow surpassed the previous oldest female record held by Ironman Hall of Famer Cherie Gruenfeld, who completed Kona at age 78.
Race organisers celebrated Grabow’s achievement by calling her an icon of endurance and highlighting her determination.
They featured the phrase “age is just a number” in their social media posts.
Norwegian rookie Solveig Lovseth won the professional women’s World Championship in eight hours, 28 minutes, and 27 seconds.
Britain’s Kat Matthews finished second while 2024 champion Laura Philipp from Germany placed third.
The men’s professional event was held separately in September.
More than 1,700 age-group athletes also completed the race despite sweltering heat and high humidity that tested every competitor’s limits. – Reuters
