Newly-crowned Ironman world champion Gustav Iden says he is highly unlikely to return to defend his crown in Hawaii next year, but training partner Kristian Blummenfelt could still be tempted.
“It doesn’t really fit my plan that well,” said Iden. “The [World Triathlon] Grand Final is three weeks before Kona and three weeks of preparation is maybe a bit optimistic, even for us.
“My main goal now is Paris 2024. Kristian won his Olympic gold and I really, really, really want mine, so I don’t see it being in the plan, but we’re full of surprises.”
“It’s three weeks between and I think it's do-able. I have to remind Gustav, I have a ring here – and I want one from Kona too.”
Carried away on a stretcher
Having clinched the Olympic title in Tokyo last year and won 2021’s delayed Ironman World Championship in St George in May, Blummenfelt came into Saturday’s race as many people’s favourite.
But despite finishing in 7:43:22 with a 2:39:20 marathon, the 28-year-old had to settle for third behind Iden and France’s Sam Laidlow after a gruelling contest that left him carried away on a stretcher.
Despite both racing on the Big Island for the first time, Blummenfelt and Iden had trained extensively on the course in the build-up, with two of their sessions almost extending to full race simulations.
But when it came to the marathon and chasing down longtime leader Laidlow, he admitted he was just slightly off the pace, as Iden pulled away on the uphill section from the natural energy lab with just under 10 miles remaining.
“I was running quite fast from the beginning and every time he [Iden] forced me to the front, I decided to slow it down a bit.
“I thought my only chance was to play my cards really well. It didn’t work but happy to be on the podium. Overall, we were expecting a time close to 7:40 and we were in the neghbourhood of that. I was just off a bit in the last 20km and Gustav was able to accelerate.”
The 70.3 edge
While the duo may not be back in Hawaii next year to defend their podium spots, they will face off again in three weeks' time in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in St George, where Blummenfelt thinks he might have an edge.
“That’s the focus now. When he has won a big race before he [Iden] tends to be a bit lazy in the training for the next few weeks, and I’m more hungry and fired up for the next one.
“Hopefully I can use that for motivation in my training. Now I’m just tired, smashed. It was a brutal run – the whole run was tough, but I’ll use it as motivation going into St George.”
Top image credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for Ironman
