Ironman Western Australia-Baldwin gets 18-24 age group success |06 December 2011
In Busselton, Baldwin clocked personal best times of 54 minutes 31 seconds (54:31) in the 2.4-mile (3.8km) swim, 4 hours 49 minutes 20 seconds (4h49:20) in the 112-mile (180km) cycling and the overall time of 9h10:24.
He clocked 3h22:05 in the 26.2-mile (42.2km) run which is 3:33 slower than his personal best of 3h18:32 set in Kona this year.
The 23-year-old’s previous overall best time was 9h18:15 achieved in Kona when he finished second in the 18-24 years old category of the Ford Ironman World Championships.
This is the third time Baldwin has improved his overall best time after bringing it to 9h27:56 at the 7th Spec-Savers Ironman South Africa at the Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth on Sunday April 10 this year to win the 18-24 age group.
Besides winning the 18-24 age group, Baldwin finished 16th overall and fourth amateur overall out of over 1,300 athletes in Busselton and as well as clocking a new PB for the overall finish time, this is his highest overall placing in an ironman race.
In an email sent to Sports Nation, Baldwin wrote: “This result caps off a great 2011 season, winning two international ironman events and finishing second at the Ironman World Championships. But it wasn't easy – today was one of the most challenging days I've faced competing in triathlon. At the half-way point of the marathon, the second placed athlete was just one minute behind me and I had to dig really deep to pull off the win. I will now take a few weeks off to enjoy some down time and spend the holidays with the family.”
This was Baldwin’s third ironman race in what he has described as “a very long season”.
His times in Busselton: 54:31 (PB) in the 2.4-mile (3.8km) swim (transition swim-to-bike 2:26), 4h49:20 (PB) in the 112-mile (180km) cycling (transition bike-to-run 2:02) and 3h22:05 in 26.2-mile (42.2km) run for an overall time of 9h10:24 (PB).
Australians Andrew Tyack (9h21:01) and Amos Gollach (9h38:20) completed the medals podium in the 18-24 age group category.
G. G.