A Florida man becomes the first person with Down syndrome to complete the Ironman World Championship triathlon. We told you before about Chris Nikic when he set a Guinness World Record for being the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon. Well, now he’s done it again, this time becoming the first person who has Down syndrome to finish an Ironman World Championship.
At the 2022 Ironman World Championship this past weekend in Kona, Hawaii, Nikic crossed the finish line, alongside his guide and trainer Dan Grieb, after a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run in 16 hours, 31 minutes and 27 seconds. And, he pulled this feat off on his 23rd birthday. Nikic’s family and his girlfriend met him at the finish line and congratulated him on his world record finish.
Ironman finish-line announcer, Mike Reilly, raised Chris’s arm above his head and said, “You Are An IRONMAN!” Then he followed that with, “Changing perceptions for every parent worldwide with children with Down syndrome. Now they all know one thing for sure – anything is possible." And if that moment was already perfect, Chris then pulled out a ring and asked his girlfriend to marry him. And she said, “Yes!”
Source: Sunny Skyz