Chelsea Sodaro Becomes First American to Win Ironman World Champs in 20 Years: 'My Mind is a Little Blown'

Natasha Dye
·2 min read
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Chelsea Sodaro Becomes First American to Win Ironman World Champs in 20 Years: 'My Mind is a Little Blown'

Chelsea Sodaro ended America's victory drought when she won the Ironman World Championship women's race on Thursday.

The 33-year-old mom, who gave birth to daughter Skylar just 18 months prior, won the race with a time of 8 hours, 33 minutes, and 46 seconds in Kona.

Sodaro is the first American to earn the title since 2002, when Tim DeBoom won. An American woman has not won since Paula Newby-Fraser in 1996.

Sodaro, who had never made it to Ironman World Championships until this year, told NBC Sports, "My mind is a little bit blown right now," after her win.

"This is the culmination of things being right in my life and having perspective. This is freakin' incredible, but the greatest gift at the end of the finish line is my little 18-month-old."

Chelsea Sodaro celebrates after winning the Ironman World Championships on October 06, 2022 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.
Chelsea Sodaro celebrates after winning the Ironman World Championships on October 06, 2022 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.

Ezra Shaw/Getty

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Two days before her big win, Sodaro was inspired by "the most epic, beautiful race week omen," when she spotted a double rainbow on the island. Following the race, she shared that she didn't think she'd win the race this year.

Chelsea Sodaro competes during the run portion of the Ironman World Championships on October 06, 2022 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.
Chelsea Sodaro competes during the run portion of the Ironman World Championships on October 06, 2022 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.

Ezra Shaw/Getty

"I thought I could win this race one day maybe, but I did not think that it would be today," she said in a video shared by apparel brand 2xu. "I'm just super grateful for the people that invested in getting me here."

"I think it doesn't really matter how big the race is. It's pretty special to be here with the best family I could have asked for."

Chelsea Sodaro competes on the bike during the Ironman World Championships on October 06, 2022 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.
Chelsea Sodaro competes on the bike during the Ironman World Championships on October 06, 2022 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.

Ezra Shaw/Getty

Sodaro beat out Swiss competitor, and five-time Ironman title winner, Daniela Ryf, who came in second. She also defeated British athlete and third-place finisher Lucy Charles-Barclay by 7 minutes and 50 seconds.

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Earlier this summer, Sodaro spoke about what being a triathlete means to her, namely how she wants her accomplishments to inspire her daughter.

Sodaro told Traithlete.com, "I want [my daughter] to see what it looks like to pour yourself into your dreams, and that being passionate about your career and being a good mom are not mutually exclusive."

Prior to competing in the championship round, Sodaro shared her feelings ahead of the race with social media followers. "Fit ✅ Healthy ✅ Excited to see what I can do out there," she wrote.

"Training for Kona has been a total team effort," Sodaro shared. "My dad has sagged almost every ride, my mom has looked after Skye so I could pour myself into training, and Steve is the most supportive husband and dad."