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‘Ironman’ Natalie qualifies for world championships after stunning performance in Med
25 May 2023
Reservist Lieutenant Natalie Grainger has qualified for the Ironman Triathlon World Championships after smashing 17 minutes off her best time in the Mediterranean heat.
Her performance in the Ironman 70.3 in Mallorca earns her a place in Lahti, Finland, in August where the world’s finest amateur and professional Ironman athletes will be competing.
A ‘solid’ swim 1,900 metres through the bay at Alcúdia, then a ‘tough’ 90 kilometres on the bike, finishing with a ‘fast’ half marathon run (21km) ensured the officer was just under 17 minutes quicker than her previous best.
This was in spite challenging weather conditions – very heavy rain, not what you would expect from a summer race on a Spanish island.
This was Natalie’s second 70.3, and she completed her first full Ironman (3.8km swim, 180km bike and full marathon) in Copenhagen, Denmark, August 2022.
“70.3 Ironman is a distance which basically means burying yourself in the hurt locker for five-plus hours – not for the flight hearted, but weirdly I love it!
“I’m absolutely ecstatic to qualify for the world champs, hard work in training during this tough winter has definitely paid off.
“Training now starts again though. I generally get through 15 to 20 hours a week, but this will be a lot easier and more fun now the weather improves, and I can get out on the bike more often.”