Britain’s Sam Holness has become the world’s first openly autistic endurance athlete to complete an Ironman at the Ironman European Championship in Frankfurt, Germany.
Sam completed the 3.8km swim, 180km bike and full marathon in 12 hours and 29 minutes on Sunday 26 June. Lining up against some of the best athletes in the world, Sam made a confident start in the water with a 1:04hr swim.
Despite suffering from gastric intestinal issues, Sam then posted an impressive 6:15:44 for the hilly 180km loop, which included 1,934m of elevation.
Next up was the marathon run, which despite the punishing heat he completed to make history as the first openly autistic endurance athlete to complete an Ironman.
On finishing Sam said: “This is the greatest day of my life; I am now an Ironman Man! Iron Sam the Triathlete sounds good. I am determined that I will never stop doing this.
“It was a really tough and hot race, but I kept going even though it hurt a lot.”
Who is Sam Holness?
Sam, 29, from London had been preparing for this landmark moment for the last three years, as part of his ultimate goal of becoming the first professional endurance athlete with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
In September 2021 he raced as an age-grouper at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Utah, finishing in 5:44:39.
His coach and father, Tony Holness, said: “As a family we're so happy to see Sam become an Ironman. So proud, we’re the proudest parents in the world today!
“He swam superbly, and despite challenges on the bike, and the heat on the run but he pushed through so many barriers to get to the finish line
“It was fantastic and even the challenges he faced are good preparation and experience for Sam’s as he grows as an athlete.
Through sport, Sam is challenging stereotypes associated with neurodiversity, while tackling one of the world’s toughest endurance sports.
Through this new landmark in triathlon, Sam continues to inspire the autistic community of which there are an estimated 80 million individuals globally.
What's next for Sam Holness?
In October, Sam hopes to complete another Ironman first for an athlete with ASD by competing at the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
“It is with huge thanks to Hoka and The Ironman Group for providing Sam with the opportunity to compete in both Frankfurt and later this year at the world championship event," added Tony.
“Beyond helping Sam on his journey to making endurance sport his profession they have taken a position of global leadership in promoting the opportunity for greater inclusiveness.”
Sam is an ambassador for Britain’s Ambitious about Autism, who like Sam are redefining how people think about autism.
Top image: Marcel Hilger