The IRONMAN Israel-Middle East Championship was launched on Friday in Tiberias with 2,500 participants, including 800 international competitors from 58 countries, including: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Ukraine, Germany, England, the USA and Israel.
The competition was brought to Israel courtesy of businessman and philanthropist Sylvan Adams, Israel’s Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Municipality of Tiberias, Comtec Group, the Jordan Valley Regional Council, and the Israel Triathlon Association.
“To have the IRONMAN Israel-Middle East Championship here in Israel, on the beautiful banks of the Sea of the Galilee, with runners from across the world and the region, is a true testament of the ability of sport to bring all peoples together.”
Sylvan Adams
“To have the IRONMAN Israel-Middle East Championship here in Israel, on the beautiful banks of the Sea of the Galilee, with runners from across the world and the region, is a true testament of the ability of sport to bring all peoples together,” exclaimed Adams. “The friendships built today will last a lifetime. This is just one international sporting event that we are bringing to Israel, and we hope to have many more in the future.”
Who won the IRONMAN triathlon in Israel?
In the men’s PRO category, Patrick Lange from Germany finished in first place and won the title of “IRONMAN Israel-Middle East Champion” after completing the grueling competition with a personal record of 07:42:00 hours. In second place came Daniel Baekkegaard from Denmark with a total time of 07:43:40, while third place was taken by Gregory Barnaby from Italy with a total time of 07:47:02. Israel’s senior triathlete Dan Alterman finished the full competition in a total time of 08:54:18.
In the Women’s PRO category, Ruth Astle from Great Britain finished in first place and was awarded the title of “IRONMAN Israel-Middle East Champion” after completing the competition in a time of 08:41:13. In second place came Daniela Bleymehl from Germany with a total time of 08:50:13, while Barbara Riveros from Australia finished third with a total time of 08:55:49.
The special event marks the first time that the competition included the full distance of the international IRONMAN brand in the Middle East, and 75 places have been awarded for the 2023 World Championship to be held in Kona, Hawaii.
The IRONMAN competition is considered the most prestigious triathlon competition in the world, consisting of three parts: swimming, cycling and running. The non-stop triathlon allows participants a limited time to finish each segment, challenging them to the limit – physically and mentally.
As part of the event in Tiberias, there were two races: a full distance race that includes a 3.8 km swim in the Sea of Galilee, a 180 km bike ride and a 42.2 km marathon run. The second is the IRONMAN 70.3 km race that includes a 1.8 km swim, 90 km of cycling and 21.1km running. Over 800 Israelis and 400 international competitors competed in the full distance, while 1,500 Israelis and 360 competitors from abroad competed in the 70.3km race. Notably, over 90 professional competitors from around the world registered for the competition.