Strong efforts from Norfolk triathlon stars Kimberley Morrison and Joe Skipper at Ironman Barcelona
Kimberley Morrison in action during Ironman Barcelona. Picture: @TriathlonKim on Twitter - Credit: @TriathlonKim on Twitter
It was another special weekend in the career of Norfolk triathlete Kimberly Morrison – who has become the 14th fastest British female Ironman competitor in history.
The 29-year-old was competing in her first full distance event on Saturday, at Ironman Barcelona, having finished 18th at the Ironman70.3 World Championships in Tennessee – the gruelling discipline's half distance – earlier in September.
Morrison finished in an impressive fifth place in the elite women's race, completing the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 26.2-mile marathon run in nine hours, 12 minutes and 49 seconds.
That has made the Tri-Anglia member, from Bale, near Fakenham, the 14th fastest British women to complete an Ironman – which is still topped by Norfolk's Chrissie Wellington, who completed Challenge Roth in Germany in 08:18.13 hours back in 2011.
The result was a major success in Morrison's career, having enjoyed success in Ironman70.3 events around the globe since turning professional in September 2015, as she sets her sights on qualifying for the World Ironman Championships next year.
'I am so delighted to be an Ironman and to race the race at the sharp end,' Morrison said in a short blog post after the race. 'A sub-nine-hour Ironman is on every pro athlete's wish list so to get so close my first time of trying give me great promise and motivation.
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'Thank you all so much for the support this season, I absolutely love sharing my ambitions and achievements to those that follow me.'
Norfolk's other pro triathlon star, Joe Skipper, also enjoyed success in Barcelona as he finished sixth in the elite men's race.
The 29-year-old, from Cringleford, was looking to build on his ETU Long Distance Triathlon European Championships victory earlier in the month by becoming the first British man to go under eight hours three times.
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Skipper wasn't quite able to hit those heights, finishing in 08:15.17 hours, but is looking in good shape for another shot at success at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii later this month.
