Search
shop

Gustav Iden says there’s more to come after Florida romp

Gustav Iden was in typically understated form after his brilliant victory at IRONMAN Florida.
Editor-In-Chief
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

If you expected Gustav Iden to sit back and bask in the glory of his brilliant full-distance debut at IRONMAN Florida on Saturday, you’d be wrong of course.

This golden generation of Norwegian triathletes, led by Iden and Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt, come to win and they do so with a burning desire and belief. There is little that is not achievable, and nothing which cannot be improved upon.

So when Gustav dropped jaws on Saturday by closing a convincing victory over Lionel Sanders with a 2:34:51 marathon, he was still in typically understated form immediately post-race.

Advertisement

Iden on Sanders battle

“I was hoping for Lionel to either go past me or drop off, because I couldn’t imagine fighting all the way to the finish line with him because that would be too much.

“So I’m really glad that he dropped off because yeah, that fight would be too hard for me. So yeah, I made it to the finish line at least, so that’s good.”

Then Iden uttered the words which should be chilling for his long-course rivals – there is probably much more to come.

“It’s a good first try but I have some work to improve on, so hopefully I can beat my time in the future.”

St George & Kona for Gustav?

In the build-up to the recent cancelled race at IRONMAN California, Iden had said his full-distance debut would inform his plans for 2022. He said going all in for St George in May and Kona and October was not a given – that he would only do so if he decided he enjoyed racing at 140.6 miles. Now we wait for his next move.

“I think everybody says after their Ironman ‘Im never gonna do this again’ – I kind of feel that way now it was too hard for me,” he admitted.

“Give me a couple of hours and then maybe I change my mind but right now, no this is too much.”

Graham Shaw
Written by
Graham Shaw
Graham has been involved with TRI247 & RUN247 since the summer of 2021. Since then he has provided strategic direction for all news and is passionate about the growth of triathlon as a fan sport.
Discover more
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumHow to pace a triathlon to leave it all out there WITHOUT blowing up
FORM Smart Swim 2 PRO lens close up
FORM Smart Swim Pro 2 Goggles review: can these high tech goggles actually help you to train smarter and swim faster?
Premium‘The difference from triathlon is so big – there’s no comparison’: Maya Kingma on life in the Women’s WorldTour peloton
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth 2025 finish line
PremiumLaura Siddall: 10 things I’ve learned from my professional triathlon career
TRIFIT VORTEX tri suit
The small but mighty tri brand you NEED to know about: Why TRI-FIT are on a mission to disrupt the triathlon apparel scene
latest News
Sam Laidlow bike IRONMAN Leeds 2025
Laidlow and Skipper hail anti-drafting progress – but highlight bigger issues
Julia Skala end of Norseman 2025
“A fight for self-worth, strength and healing,” Julia Skala on world’s toughest triathlon
Steve McKenna got the win at the 40th edition of IRONMAN New Zealand.
Star IRONMAN athlete clocks a sub-2:20 marathon – and says there’s more to come
Sam Long St George 2024 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
‘Yo Yo Yo – London is calling’ – Sam Long the latest big name added to stellar T100 start lists
Kristian Grue wins Norseman 2025
Norseman 2025: Grue and Skala conquer ‘Zombie Hill’ and the world’s TOUGHEST triathlon
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...