Khaberni - Natalie Grabow proved that age is just a number, when she became, at the age of 80, the oldest woman ever to complete the grueling Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, last Saturday.
The American contestant managed to complete the 3.8-kilometer swim, the 180-kilometer bike ride, and the 42-kilometer run in 16 hours, 45 minutes, and 26 seconds, winning the women's category for ages 80-84 in her tenth participation in this famous event in Hawaii.
The journey is more important than the arrival
Having discovered triathlon in her sixties after years of running, Grabow, from New Jersey, qualified for this year's world championship with a time of 15 hours and 53 minutes in the Maryland Ironman, becoming the first woman to complete this race in the 75-79 age category. Before the Kona race, Grabow said, "All of us in the sport compete and want to achieve good results, but the journey is what's most important."
She added, "If you're of an older age, people rarely remember how you performed in the race, but they remember that you behaved well, the smile on your face, and that you were happy with your effort. I am very lucky to be able to do this, and I race while feeling grateful."Eighty-year-old becomes oldest woman to finish Ironman World Championship | The Straits Times And thus, she surpassed the previous record for the oldest woman, set by Ironman Hall of Fame member Sherry Gruenfeld, who completed the Kona marathon at the age of 78.
The race organizers celebrated Grabow's achievement, describing her as an "icon of endurance" and highlighted her determination by using the phrase "age is just a number" in posts on social media.
Live Pre-Race Updates: 2025 Ironman World Championship Kona In the professional women's category, the rising Norwegian Solveig Lovset won the world championship with a time of eight hours, 28 minutes, and 27 seconds, with the British Kat Matthews in second place, and the German Laura Philipp, the 2024 champion, in third place.
The men's competitions were held in September, and more than 1700 contestants across various age groups completed the race in extreme heat and high humidity, testing every athlete's limits.
