The Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of Bahrain Olympic Committee, Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, hailed Bahrain Endurance Team 13 athletes Daniela Ryf and Jan Frodeno after successfully defending their titles at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Shaikh Nasser said that these establishments confirmed the Kingdom’s high level and the leap taken in triathlon in short space and thanked the support it is getting in the prosperous era of HM King Hamad.
“Whoever followed Daniela Ryf and Jan Frodeno in the previous competitions before they stepped in this race will have realised that they were moving steadily towards making this achievement,” said Shaikh Nasser.
“They have been maintaining great technical prowess and outstanding fitness level. Moreover, their mental strength was very high as well.
“The Bahrain Endurance Team 13 have become a solid competitor at any stage, and its members have won many medals. We are committed in maintaining these achievements in order to promote the Kingdom of Bahrain and its champions.”
Shaikh Nasser affirmed that the team will keep moving with steady steps into making more establishments for Bahrain.
Defending the Ironman World Championship is notoriously difficult. In its storied history only four men and four women had accomplished the feat of retaining their titles.
While Ryf and Frodeno were heavy favourites leading into the race, both were perceived as vulnerable since they had already done two iron-distance races this year and had not defended their Ironman 70.3 World Championship titles. Yet, both were able to prove they are the world’s best on this single-day test of strength, endurance and willpower.
Ryf obliterated her competitors with Swiss precision. Her strategy of swimming in the lead pack and pushing the pace off the front on the bike paid off as she got onto the run with an eight-minute head start. By race’s end, Ryf was 20 minutes clear of the eventual runner-up Mirinda Carfrae and third-placer Heather Jackson.
Swimming 52:50 over 3.8 kilometres, riding 4:52:26 over 180 kilometres, and running 2:56:52 on the marathon, Ryf sprinted through the finish chute in 8:46:46, breaking Carfrae’s 2014 course record by a little over five minutes.
“It was a perfect day. It was the best Ironman I’ve ever done,” said the Swiss. “To be honest I was doubting, not so sure where my bike form was after Mooloolaba and this race shows don’t doubt, just do.”
Not only was she on form on the bike, but she also set a new personal best in her first sub-3 hour marathon on the island.
Ryf said: “I knew I could run okay and so far I just never had to really show it, or maybe sometimes I couldn’t show it... Today I felt really solid in the marathon and with about 4K to go my team said, ‘If you want, you can go’ and my coach was watching and he said, ‘go for it’ and that’s where I was like ‘OK I’m gonna try it.’
“The last 4K were amazing. The crowd was so incredible. They just push me so hard. It was not just a great win. It was a great experience and that’s what it’s all about in our sport – to make great experiences and it’s a day I will never forget.”
Frodeno took his win in 8:06:30 with a 48:02 swim, 4:29:00 on the bike, and 2:45:34 on the run. He set the pace through most of the swim, stayed in the front group on the bike, and trusted his legs would distance him from the field over the marathon.