KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) — Craig Alexander ran away with the Ironman World Championship on Saturday, setting a course record to win the event for the third time.
The 38-year-old Australian, also the 2008 and 2009 winner, finished in 8 hours, 03 minutes, 56 seconds.
“I wish I could tell you how it feels,” Alexander said. “It’s unbelievable I wish everyone in the world could feel what I felt in the that mile. It’s the finish I’ve been dreaming of.”
Alexander leapt across the finish line, collapsed flat on his back and received hugs from his family.
The previous course record was 8:04:08 by Belguim’s Luc Van Lierde in 1996.
