Solveig Løvseth: the Norwegian who shocked the Ironman world champs favourites on debut
We explore the background of the young former swimmer who's made a successful switch from short-course to long-distance racing
Solveig Løsveth stunned spectators by besting a stacked field to win the women’s Ironman World Championships in Kona, holding off a charging Kat Matthews on the run.
Although the Kona first timer has won international medals and 70.3 events, and recorded the fastest Ironman debut, this victory came as a shock to some.
We’ve researched Løvseth’s background, palmarès and progression to trace how she pulled it off.
Who is Solveig Løsveth?
Løvseth is a Norwegian triathlete who comes from Trondheim, a central city on the shore of a fjord.
Initially a swimmer, she transitioned to triathlon in her mid-teens after her coach noticed her running potential, she told the Scientific Triathlon Podcast.
Back in 2014, Norway wasn’t the dominant force in triathlon it would become, but the national federation soon supported her into racing.
Having started in short-course, she’s become one of the world’s best long-course athletes in terms of times and titles.
And despite no longer being a member of the national squad, she is still coached by Mikal Iden, the Norwegian head coach.
Her first European Cup came as a junior in 2015 and her World Triathlon Championship Series debut followed in 2021.
Lacking a second strong female athlete, her Norwegian team failed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics mixed relay.
European golds
In 2023, she secured an individual World Cup podium and won two golds at the European Games in 2023.
She edged out Julia Hauser in the individual race and formed part of the triumphant mixed relay quartet including Vetle Bergsvik Thorn, Lotte Miller and Casper Stornes, the 2025 men’s Ironman world champion.
These placements earned her enough points to qualify for the 2024 Paris Games. Later that year, she also won her debut Ironman 70.3 at Indiana Wells before following up at Ironman 70.3 Warsaw in 2024.
A disappointing Olympics saw her finish 11th in the mixed relay and 48th in the women’s individual race.
Going longer
But she finished third at the 70.3 Ironman european champs at 13th at the worlds.
Even better times were to come in 2025. She won another Ironman 70.3 and clocked 08:12:28 on her way to third at the Ironman Hamburg European Championships, the fastest Ironman debut in history.
Another half-iron win at Zem am See-Kaprun preceded her Kona titles.
How old is Solveig Løsveth?
Born on 14 July 1999, Solevig Løvseth is 26.
Solveig Løsveth’s career highlights
Løvseth’s Kona win may have come as a surprise due to the calibre of athletes she defeated (such as Taylor Knibb, Lucy Charles-Barclay and Laura Philipp), but a very successful switch to long-course racing laid the foundations.
- 2023 European Games Individual Gold Medal
- 2023 European Games Mixed Relay Gold Medal
- 2023 Ironman 70.3 Indiana Wells La Quinta 1st
- 2024 Ironman 70.3 Warsaw 1st
- 2024 Ironman 70.3 European Championship 3rd
- 2024 Ironman 70.3 World Championship 13th
- 2024 Ironman 70.3 Venice-Jesolo 1st
- 2025 Ironman Hamburg European Championship 3rd
- 2025 Ironman Lake Placid 1st
- 2025 Ironman 70.3 Zell am See-Kaprun 3rd
- 2025 Ironman World Championship 1st
Solveig Løsveth quotes
On her 2025 Ironman World Championships Title
“It has been hard to wrap my head around it.
“I didn’t have the best swim but felt like I kept my calm. Out of the bike I felt really good and couldn’t really believe it when I started the run.
“But the run was really hard from the start, I genuinely didn’t know if I was going to be able to get to the finish line.
“I started to feel a bit better about halfway, which is unbelievable, because I really didn’t expect that. I was trying to keep my calm the whole way.
“I feel really sorry for both Taylor [Knibb] and Lucy [Charles-Barclay].
“It was not the way I wanted to pass them.
“For the first time, I realised I can win this if everything goes right.
“The thought started to pop in my head and then when I passed Taylor I realized now that I had a chance, I just needed to not blow up.”
What’s next for Solveig Løsveth?
Løsveth is now $125,000 richer and another 6,000 Ironman Pro Series to the good with one race to go this season.
Trailing Kat Mathews by 827 points but 3,000 points ahead of third-placed Lisa Perterer, Løvseth stands a chance of winning overall.
To do so at the 2025 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Marbella, she needs to finish first or within 100 seconds of the victor.
However, Matthews only needs 2,600 points to clinch her title. This equates to finishing within 6:40 of the champion.
Jack Evans
