The 2024 Ironman World Championship in Kona gathered the best of the best. Although that’s always been the case, this time was unique in that there was no clear frontrunner — just a long list of equal contenders, making the competition fierce.
The line-up.
Sam Laidlow (25, France). In 2023, he became the youngest Ironman World Champion at age 24. He took silver in 2022 in Kona, trailing only Gustav Iden on the marathon’s final stretch.
Kristian Blummenfelt (30, Norway) — The ambitious Olympic gold medalist from Tokyo 2020 has won the 2021 Triathlon World Series, the 2021 Ironman World Championship in St. George, and bronze in Kona in 2022. The only title that continues to elude him is Kona gold, though he’s always a favorite.
Magnus Ditlev (26, Denmark) — Hungry for victories, he won the Challenge Roth three years in a row (2022, 2023, and 2024). In the 2023 World Championship in Nice, he placed 3rd behind Laidlow and Lange.
Rudy von Berg (31, USA) — An incredibly stable performer who feels right at home in Kona. He’s third in the 2024 Ironman rankings, a three-time Ironman champion in 2023, and a two-time European Champion in Ironman 70.3.
Leon Chevalier (26, France) — A “dark horse” but a fierce competitor. His best achievements include 1st at Ironman South Africa 2023 and 5th at the World Championship in Nice.
Patrick Lange (38, Germany) and Cameron Wurf (41, Australia) represent the old guard. Lange, a two-time Ironman World Champion, won in 2017 and 2018, while Wurf, a pro cyclist, is one of triathlon’s strongest cyclists.
All of these athletes — and another 30 elite competitors — put on a spectacular show. And perhaps the results of this event answer the question of what matters more at Kona: youth or experience.
The Kona Combo.
This question isn’t as pressing in other races, but in Kona’s unique conditions of heat, humidity, and wind, it’s a major factor. Combine these conditions with a dense lineup of top triathletes, and you get the “Kona Combo.” Physical fitness alone isn’t enough — there’s more to it than that.
The Youth Stumbled.
The race begins with the swim, where it’s impossible to win but easy to lose. The main contenders all exited Kailua Bay in a close group of 20. Nothing exciting happened beyond the familiar jellyfish stings on athletes’ faces and legs.
On the bike leg, however, things started to heat up. Laidlow completed the course in a record-breaking 3:57:22 (45.5 km/h), setting the tone for the race. Ditlev kept up as best as he could, arriving at the run with a seven-minute lag. Blummenfelt, after hanging with Ditlev for some time, eventually fell behind and was seen throwing up at 40 km/h during the ride.
By the 18th kilometer of the marathon, the impact of Laidlow’s blistering bike performance became evident when he started walking and eventually stopped to chug half a bottle of Coke. This overexertion on the bike translated to dehydration and heat exhaustion on the run.
Most of the younger athletes struggled with similar issues. They started the marathon strongly but faded around the halfway mark, either slowing significantly or resorting to a fast walk. Ditlev and von Berg, however, handled the heat and humidity well, finishing the marathon in 2:46 and 2:48, respectively. Inspite of a big frame (193 cm height) Ditlev managed to cool down and normally consumed 180 g of carbs every hour (as he stated later). Laidlow ended up running a 3:12 marathon, finishing 12th, while Blummenfelt struggled across the finish line with a 3:32 marathon and placed 35th.
Patrick Dismantled Everyone.
The 2024 Ironman Kona Champion, Patrick Lange, showcased his vast experience, clinching his third title at Kona. He swam with the lead pack, rode with patience on the bike, and launched a strategic attack on marathon, finishing in 7:35:53 — a new Kona record.
The previous record held by Gustav Iden was improved by five minutes. As omysports.ai co-founder Yuri said: “Did Patrick dismantle everyone yesterday or what?”
3 Wins, 3 Course Records.
Reflecting on Lange’s victories at the Ironman World Championship in 2017, 2018, and 2024, there’s a common thread: a new course record each time. The records are 8:01:40 in 2017, 7:52:39 in 2018, and 7:35:53 in 2024. Impressive track record, isn’t it?
By the way, Wurf finished 7th with a time of 7:51:26, defeating most of the younger competitors — his best performance in Kona at age 41.
My Encounter with Lange
I first encountered Patrick Lange in 2016 when we were both competing at Ironman 70.3 Ruegen. I was there as an amateur, while he was racing professionally. I managed to keep up with him briefly — until we hit an 8% incline, where he pulled ahead by 200 meters in just half a kilometer. At that moment, I realized he might just be the next Kona champion. And that’s exactly what happened, though I never imagined he’d win it three times, setting a new Ironman World Championship record in Kona each time.
Later, in 2019, we ran the Berlin Half Marathon together. He ran a casual 1:09, while I gave it my all to finish at 1:16. Afterward, we finally met and had a conversation. We crossed paths again briefly at Kona in 2019 — he as an elite pro athlete, I’m as a age-grouper. Funny enough but we both had to drop out due to the heat. But his results since then speak for themselves. Now, the secret to his success lies in his vast experience, with eight years of Kona racing under his belt.
Oleg Mazurov and the omysports.ai team