Origins of Ironman Triathlon

The Ironman Triathlon is a series of long-distance triathlon races, each combining a 3.8 kilometre swim, a 180 kilometre bicycle ride and a marathon run of 42.2 kilometres, completed without a break. The first race took place in Hawaii, when a small group of competitors, among them military personnel, tried to settle a debate over which athletes were fittest by combining three existing endurance events on the island of Oahu. Only a dozen finished, and the winner was Gordon Haller. The event later moved to Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, and it grew into a worldwide series, with the Ironman World Championship in Kona as its highlight. It helped to make triathlon a popular sport.

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