Michellie Jones joins Ironman Hall of Fame

Wednesday, 14 August 2019:

Michellie Jones is just the third Australian to be selected for induction into the Ironman Hall of Fame, despite originally finding the sport a terrifying prospect.

One of the most accomplished triathletes of all time, Jones was the first Australian woman to win the Ironman World Championship.

Her win in 2006 was the start of an extraordinary streak where an Australian won the men's or women's title every year in Hawaii until 2014.

The 49-year-old Jones was also a dual International Triathlon Union champion (1992,1993) and she took home a silver medal from the 2000 Olympics in Sydney - missing out on gold by just two seconds.

She will officially be inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame on October 9 at a ceremony held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, during this year's World Championship race week - joining fellow Australians Greg Welch (2004) and Ken Baggs (2018, administrator) in the exclusive club.

"I didn't think Ironman was ever going to be a path I would follow as it terrified and intimidated me," she said.

"But destiny led me to one of the highlights of my career...I am extremely honoured and extremely privileged to what my sport has bestowed on me.

"I am truly grateful to all those that made my journey possible."

Jones - who has already been inducted into the ITU and Triathlon Australia Halls of Fame - will be joined by American dual Ironman world champion Tim DeBoom, four-time world championship finisher Kenneth Gasque and 40-year volunteer Jan War as this year's inductees.

She remains active in the sport of triathlon as an Ironman University certified coach and she serves as the head coach for the University of California San Diego triathlon team.

In 2016, Jones returned to the Olympics when she served as a guide for paratriathlete Katie Kelly, winning gold.






AAP






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