Hamilton woman captures Ironman triathlon championship title in Hawaii

Hamilton woman Sharon Mackinnon captured an Ironman Championship Triathlon title in Hawaii last week, and to make the achievement even more impressive she did it at the age of 60.

The Ironman Triathlon is a series of long-distance races consisting of a 3.8-kilometre swim, a 180-kilometre bicycle ride, and a 42-kilometre marathon.

Mackinnon competed in the VinFast Ironman World Championship in Hawaii last week and captured the title in the women’s 60-64 age group.

“When I found out that I was first, it was pretty exciting, very humbling,” Mackinnon said.

The 60-year-old public health nurse trains year-round for these events and has taken part in more than a hundred of them over the years.

Mackinnon got into triathlons 37 years ago, “I did my first triathlon in 1985… ran track and cross country.”

Mackinnon says triathlons are a lifestyle choice for her because they take a lot of dedication.

This is Mackinnon’s best finish in an Ironman event, and she’s hoping to build momentum from here. She will be running, swimming, and biking in the World Half Ironman Championships in Utah at the end of the month.