Swiss impact!

Daniela Ryf from Switzerland bagged the crown at the Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championship here yesterday. She won not only the title but also making history as triathlon’s first “million-dollar baby.”

By winning Challenge Dubai back in February, the first leg of the Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa Triple Crown, and the second leg, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Austria in July, then taking the final leg of the Triple Crown yesterday, Ryf wins a $1 million bonus on top of the $20,000 for winning yesterday’s race.

With the swim cancelled due to high winds and strong currents, 28-year-old Ryf blazed to a 2:07:28 split for a short run and a 56-mile bike leg that gave her a two minutes lead. Then she unleashed a sizzling 1:18:48 run to finish in 3:28:20 with a large lead on runner-up and fellow Swiss competitor Caroline Steffen and on third-place finisher Asa Lundstrom of Sweden.

Ryf also ends her stellar year undefeated and a world champion twice over, having also added the Ironman World Championship to her list of accolades. “The last six weeks after Kona, I put my head down toward this race, and I’m so happy I could finish strong and take this win,” she said. “I’m so grateful for this opportunity. It’s been a great journey and I’m also grateful for the support from my team... And of course, my coach.”

On the same day, with no tremendous bonus money at stake, Bart Aernouts of Belgium staked himself to a 2:17 lead after a men’s best 1:55:14 split for the short run and 56-mile bike leg, then sealed the victory with a second-best 1:14:00 run to finish in 3:11:15 with a 1:11 margin of victory over runner-up Ruedi Wild of Switzerland.

Team captain HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa claimed the silver medal in his age group, proudly wearing his lucky bib number 13. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa greeted him at the finish line.