The Ironman event returned to San Diego. The event kicks off the North American portion of the circuit.
The event is 70.3 miles and includes a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run.
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WATCH HERE“It’s pretty grueling, it’s exciting, it’s hard,” Triathlete Sika Henry said.
Sika Henry competed in her first triathlon event was less than a decade ago.
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SIGN UP “My first time doing a triathlon was a sprint it was short, I just got a mountain bike, and I bought a Speedo, I went out there and came in close to last place and this was back in 2013 and I gradually moved up to Ironman events,” Henry said.
Henry has gone on to become the first Black woman to become a professional ironman athlete.
“I think representation and diversity are really important there are only about 0.5% African Americans in the sport and there had never been a pro-Black woman in the sport of Triathlon, so I thought, 'Why not me? Why can’t I be that first pro?'" Henry said. "So, I chased after it for a long time and it has opened a lot of doors and I was able to be involved in the Iron Man foundation and try to bring some diversity to the sport."
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Event organizers are hoping athletes like Sika Henry help inspire the next generation of athletes.
