Britain’s Kat Matthews claimed silver at the World Ironman Championship, but compatriot Lucy Charles-Barclay was forced to pull out while leading as competitors battled sweltering conditions in Kona, Hawaiʻi.
Matthews benefited from the late withdrawals of Charles-Barclay and American Taylor Knibb to finish second behind Norway’s Solveig Lovseth, who claimed her first Ironman world title.
Charles-Barclay was leading after 10 miles of the marathon but visibly began to struggle as temperatures pushed 28C with 70% humidity.
She eventually pulled out with about nine miles remaining after consulting with her husband at the side of the road.
That seemingly left the path clear for Knibb to take the title, but the 27-year-old withdrew with four miles left, sitting down on the tarmac as Lovseth and Matthews ran past her.
Matthews finished strongly and completed the marathon in a course record two hours, 47 minutes, but it was not enough to reel in Lovseth.
The Norwegian crossed the line in a time of eight hours, 28 minutes and 27 seconds, with Matthews just 35 seconds behind for her third Ironman silver medal. Germany’s Laura Philipp was more than eight minutes further back in third.
“I worked really hard and I’m very proud of my finish,” said Matthews. “I’m happy for Solveig, she was incredible to watch. I had a very up and down day.”
The Ironman course consists of a 2.4-mile (3.8 km) swim, 112 miles (180 km) cycling and the final marathon, which is 26.2 miles (42.2 km), for a total distance of 140.6 miles.
Meanwhile, the men’s and women’s World Championships will reunify in 2026 after three years as separate events.
The Championships were split in 2023 to ease entry back-logs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.