Svensk takes Ironman Cozumel in record-setting time

Sweden’s Sara Svensk took her second Ironman title today in Cozumel, adding another speedy time to the 8:34 clocking she posted when she won Ironman Barcelona in 2019. Today the Swede used a sub-three hour marathon to cruise to the win in a speedy 8:22:41. That time needs to be qualified with the speedy down-current swim, but if it is recognized as an official time will be the fastest ever Ironman time and the fourth-fastest full-distance race ever behind Chrissie Wellington and Daniela Ryf’s times at Challenge Roth. (Wellington went 8:18:13 and 8:19:13 in 2011 and 2010, while Ryf went 8:22:04 in 2016.)

Australia’s Carrie Lester led the women out of the water in 43:12 with American Britt Vocke and Mexico’s Margie Santimaria on her heels. Lester led the women through the first 55 km timing point, but by 103 km she was joined at the front by the ageless Dede Griesbauer (she’s 51). Griesbauer would lead the women into T2 with Lester 2:22 back, while Svensk started the run just over five minutes behind.

Lester would quickly move ahead on the run, but Svensk was moving faster almost right from the start of the marathon. Through 14 km Lester was just 22 seconds ahead of the Swede. By the halfway point of the run the lead was up to 1:47 and Svensk would never look back as she ran a 2:58:02 marathon to take a convincing win.

Spain’s Gurutze Frades Larralde ran a speedy 2:56:03 to move to second place (8:31:12) with Lester rounding out the podium in 8:36:40.

Canada’s Jen Annett finished her third Ironman in just a few months (fifth at Ironman Chattanooga, ninth at Ironman Florida two weeks ago), taking sixth in 8:54:31. Another Canadian, Angela Naeth, took ninth in 9:04:33.