Australian Winner of Hawaii Ironman

[omni]

Sure, Probably noone gives a shit. But for me this is the 2nd biggest display of endurance in world sport. 3.86km swim, 180.2km bike, 42.2km Run (aka The Marathon), and this is the best that Ironman gets.

Michellie Jones has won the Women's division with a time 9hr 18min 31 sec. She got run down for the title last year but ran her marathon time of 3:13 to hold on this year.

Chris McCormack came second overall, behind Stadler. In a time of 8hrs 13min 07sec. Stadler just blasted out in the bike leg but McCormack ran 2:46 in the marathon falling only 71 seconds short, that's how good Stadler's bike leg is.

Great morning in Kona for Australia, it's taken 12 years to get an Australian winner and this is our first female. I've had a friend run this, and he came 99th and I thought that was incredible so it's great to see an Australian winner, finally!

[thesandman]

3.86km swim...180.2km bike...42.2km run.......

Is that all in one day?/

Lol, not really into the ironman stuff myself, but still, Go Aussie!!!!!!

[johnnywarren]

thats a great one for michellie. she missed out on a gold medal at the sydney olympics and to see her win this one is unreal.

and hard lines for macca. he is a great athlete as well.

done a few as well in my time. its an awesome feeling doing these races.

remember welchy winning in hawaii. what a legend.

[omni]

Too young to remember Welch winning, but I've seen his win, great stuff. Ironman is something I'd love to do but can't ride so it's not going to happen. McCormack has been an incredible servant to Triathlons in this country, I think he's on 5 straight Australian Ironman championships and he now looks firmly switched to the longer stuff now so who knows he could win. Michellie could well throw away the shorter stuff after Beijing and just focus on the Ironman titles.

[johnnywarren]

i don't think personallyt hat mj will make the olympic team. too many good younger ones coming through. mate the only way to do the bike is to buy one and join a club. road racing is great. i switched to that after my knees went and used to do a lot of kms on the road. nothing better than slipstreaming behind a semi down narrellan road going to camden and sitting on 80k and not knowing if theres a pot hole in front of you or if the truck will hit the breaks or what the f@@k is going to happen next. makes for a quick ride when this happens.

[omni]

Interesting comments from Macca after the race.

"It's just driving me nuts, it really is ... I thought 'this is it, you never have to suffer out on this bloody highway ever again if you catch him'," McCormack said.

"This race is pissing me off, I had plans for the Olympics and I will go back and talk to my guys.

"We will go back and see whether I want a (national) tracksuit in my wardrobe or whether I want an Ironman world title, I am so envious of these guys who have them.

"I honestly believe, I am the best Ironman athlete in the world - I am the most competitive, the most consistent."

McCormack's comments came after he had strongly praised Stadler for his performance on Sunday.

The two also hugged at the finish line.

But the Australian stressed he thought Stadler was the better athlete on the day.

"I was beaten by a better guy today - today - there are lot more days to come," McCormack said.

"I've always struggled in Hawaii because of the heat, but I've never lost any other Ironman, I've won eight.

"I personally think I'm the best in the world, even though I'm not a world champion - my time will come."

Later, Stadler had one simple answer to McCormack's comments.

"Maybe he's one of the best athletes in any distance, that's possible ... but he hasn't won Hawaii," Stadler said.

"It's the only (Ironman-distance) race that counts."

Stadler is right, Kona is the only race that counts, everything else is just preperation for Kona.