Clocking in at 16 hours; 46 minutes; nine seconds (just 14 minutes shy of the 17-hour cutoff time), triathlete Chris Nikic didn’t finish with the fastest time when he recently completed his first Iron Man race—but he did set a new world record.
This past Saturday, after swimming 2.4 miles, the 21-year-old Floridian cycled 112 miles, and then ran a 26.2-mile marathon to become the first competitor with Down’s Syndrome to successfully cross the finish line in the 42-year history of the Iron Man Race.
“You have shattered barriers while proving without a doubt that anything is possible,” tweeted the official Ironman Triathlon Organization. “We are beyond inspired, and your accomplishment is a defining moment in Ironman history that can never be taken away from you.”
For his awe-inspiring efforts, Nikic also earned himself a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first person with Down’s Syndrome to become an official Iron Man.
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