Many congratulations to Mathias Waldschmitt (5.05-07) for an amazing result in the IRONMAN European Championships 2024 in Frankfurt held on 18th August. Mathias completed the race in an impressive time of 8:58:04, giving him a qualifying place in the World Championships which are taking place in Kona, Hawaii this October.
Mathias’s IRONMAN consisted of a 3.8km swim, a 175km cycle, followed by running a marathon (42.2km).
Mathias said: “The bike split started with a shock. 20 minutes in, I realised I had somehow lost the bottle with all my nutrition in it. For a moment, it felt like my dream was slipping away, and I was so angry at myself. Would all that hard work be for nothing? But then, I took a breath and made a decision: I wasn’t going to let this stop me. I quickly devised a new fuelling strategy, relying on the aid stations along the course and trusting my stable stomach to handle untested nutrition. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned, but it’s how we react that defines us.
“Crossing that finish line with a new personal best was the culmination of countless hours of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and belief in myself. Securing my spot for the legendary World Championship race in Kona, Hawaii, is a dream and a promise come true”.
Mathias, you are a true inspiration and role model, and we cannot wait to hear how you get on in the World Championships – good luck!