Karen Axelsdóttir, an Icelandic athlete, completed the Ironman triathlon in Australia on Sunday in ten hours and 56 minutes. She was the 31st contestant out of 1,540 to cross the finish line. This is the first time Axelsdóttir has competed in the Ironman.
Unspecified runners in Iceland. Photo by Geir Ólafsson.
“I’m in seventh heaven and I feel so good. My dream was to make it in less than 12 hours and I did it,” Axelsdóttir told Morgunbladid.
According to the Triathlon Association of Iceland, Axelsdóttir’s achievement is the best among Icelandic women who have competed in the Ironman and the fifth best achievement among all Icelanders who have enlisted to the triathlon.
In the Ironman contestants swim 3.8 kilometers, cycle 180 kilometers and run a marathon, 42.2 kilometers.
Axelsdóttir said she is keen on competing in the Ironman again to try and earn the right to compete in the Ironman Hawaii, the triathlon world championship.
“I would have to improve my time by 30 to 45 minutes to reach that goal,” the athlete said, adding that it is certainly doable.
