Leanda Cave: A timeline

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

Matt Baird Editor of Cycling Plus magazine

About

Matt is a regular contributor to 220 Triathlon, having joined the magazine in 2008. He’s raced everything from super-sprint to Ironman, duathlons and off-road triathlons, and can regularly be seen on the roads and trails around Bristol. Matt is the author of Triathlon! from Aurum Press and is now the editor of Cycling Plus magazine.