Four-time Ironman World Champion and 220 favourite Chrissie Wellington, will be inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame on October 11, during race week at the 2017 Ironman World Championship triathlon, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
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220 named Wellington 4th greatest female triathlete of all time and 5th greatest Kona athlete of all time
“Chrissie’s accomplishments in the sport are impressive and it is fitting that she should be inducted in her first year of eligibility,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of Ironman. “Chrissie exemplifies the role of an Ironman World Champion and has defined what it means to be a professional triathlete in the modern era. Her achievements have furthered the sport and inspired many to become Ironman triathletes themselves. We are honoured to induct her into the IRONMAN Hall of Fame, joining the other elites of the sport.”
Wellington won every full-distance Ironman triathlon and earned 10 Ironman wins and seven Ironman 70.3 wins during her career, and also still holds the women’s world record for fastest Ironman triathlon finish time of 8:33:56, recorded in 2011 at Ironman South Africa
Within a year of turning professional, Wellington captured her first Ironman World Championship in her debut at the event in 2007, becoming the first British athlete, male or female, to win the race. She would go on to win three additional Ironman World Championship titles in 2008, 2009 and 2011. She is one of only three women to win Ironman World Championships three consecutive times and set the Ironman World Championship course record of 8:54:02 (2009), which stood for five years.
“Once you decide to leave the sport as a professional athlete you think your days of being awarded accolades are over—I am truly humbled and excited to see my name featured among our sport’s greats, whom I have so much admiration and respect for,” said Wellington.
“I devoted five years to being the best athlete I could be. No short cuts, no stone left unturned,” Wellington continued. “I would rather have five years of excellence than 10 years of mediocrity. My life has changed for the better from being able to achieve and experience what I did.”
Wellington joins an illustrious list that includes Dave Scott, Paula Newby-Fraser and Mark Allen.
Chrissie’s latest book, To The Finish Line: A World Champion Triathlete’s Guide to Your Perfect Race, is out now.
Written in conjunction with 220, the book offers advice on everything, from planning your race season and fitting triathlon training into everyday life, to race nutrition strategies and coping with pre-race nerves, to exercising during pregnancy and how to budget for a triathlon.
Drawing on Chrissie’s own training and race experiences – both good and bad – and packed full of extras, such as recipes, a typical weekly training programme and pearls of wisdom from some of Chrissie’s own advisors, including her former coach and fellow Ironman legend, 220 Triathlon columnist Dave Scott