Buckingham wins Ironman event in US
Record victory secures slot in world championship in Kona
PORT Elizabeth triathlete Kyle Buckingham beat a strong field dominated by American athletes to take home the Ironman Vineman title in Windsor California at the weekend.
Buckingham was superb, recording a course record of 8:27:56, smashing the previous record of 8:51.00.
Buckingham, who came out of the water in third place, assumed the lead nearly half way through the 180km cycle leg.
The Port Elizabeth athlete held on to the lead all the way through second transition (T2 – to run) and started the run with just over two minutes on the chasers.
He would soon extend the lead to more than nine minutes to the finish.
This is Buckingham’s second win on US soil, the first coming in 2014 when he won Ironman Lake Placid.
“This race is probably one of Buckingham’s most memorable achievements, a race he had to do well in for him to stand any chance of returning to the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii in October,” fellow triathlete and teammate at Vukani Multi Sport, Luvuyo Bangazi, said.
Speaking at the finish line to an enthusiastic American crowd and international Ironman global online television audience, Buckingham said: “One must never give up, you carry on trying and trying and one day you’ll get the result. This win means so much to me.”
Buckingham’s 2015 and 2016 season has had more downs than ups and this win could not have come at a better time than now, just before the biggest show in Triathlon, the Ironman Word Championship in October.
Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Danny Jordaan congratulated Buckingham.
“As a city bidding to host the world championship event in 2018, it gives me great pleasure to see Kyle flying our flag so high,” he said.
“This win goes to show that our city can produce champions who can race among the world’s best.”
“Kyle has become a great ambassador for South Africa and our city. We have seen him race with his signature kit bearing the South African flag, Kyle is a patriot”.
Buckingham is the only Nelson Mandela Bay athlete competing in the Ironman international circuit.
‘ This win means so much to me