Leanda Cave: A timeline
The career highs of the new Queen of Kona

2002
Cave takes gold at the ITU Short Course World Championships.
2003
Plagued by injuries, Cave drops from racing and appears on BBC Sport’s Superstars.
2004
Cave wins the ITU World Cup race in Korea.
2005
Cave wins the European Cup Finale in Israel and the Treasure Island Triathlon in San Francisco.
2006
Makes the leap to 70.3 racing – takes second in Florida and at Eagleman, and places fourth at the World Champs.
2007
Wins the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon and two One O One events in California and Florida. In her first appearance at Kona, Cave cracks the top 10 with an eighth-place finish and extends a huge year by taking third in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships.
2008
Her first win in a 70.3 race. Cave takes the tape at Ironman 70.3 Florida before defending her title at Escape from Alcatraz.
2011
Wins the Wildflower Long Distance and Rev3 Knoxville races in California and Kentucky before taking third at the Ironman World Championships, Kona, Hawaii, on 8 October.
2012
Wins the Ironman 70.3 Worlds in Vegas and becomes the Ironman World Champion after a 09:15:54 overall time sees her edge out Caroline Steffen and Mirinda Carfrae.
Age: 34
Nationality: British
Lives: Tuscon, Arizona
Height: 5ft 10in
Weight: 126 pounds
Image: Rich Cruse/ITU