IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai Chongming results 2026: Alanis Siffert stars in China

China’s Rongheng Chen and Switzerland’s Alanis Siffert have claimed the men’s and women’s professional titles at Sunday’s IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai Chongming in China.

The 2026 event was the fourth time the event has been held on Chongming Island in Shanghai. Chongming Island is now a world-renowned ecological island, with the swim leg held in a lake at Bright Tian Yuan, before athletes headed onto the bike which will saw them cycle along the Beiyan Highway on the southern side of Bright Tian Yuan. The run course took place around the lake within Bright Tian Yuan, passing through the countryside.

Men’s race – Next step up for Chen

Chen took the men’s race win in 3:47:22, more than six minutes clear of Simon Shi (USA), with Junjie Fan (CHN) a further five minutes behind to round out the podium.

Fan was first out of the water following the 1.9km swim in Bright Tian Yuan lake, with Chen hot on his heels and Shi a further 20 seconds behind. Once onto the bike Shi quickly cut down Fan and Chen’s lead, moving to the front of the pack and opening up a lead across the two-lap 90km ride.

Shi returned to transition a minute clear of Chen, but Chen moved into the lead within the first kilometre and didn’t look back, extending his lead on his way to victory.

Rongcheng Chen on his way to victory at IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai Chongming - Photo IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai Chongming — Rongcheng Chen on his way to victory [Photo credit: IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai Chongming]

“Overall, it went well. Maybe because I didn’t wear a wetsuit, the swim was a little slower,” said Chen. “I couldn’t find my rhythm at first on the bike course, but after some time it was smooth. The run course went well in the beginning, but I fell back a little in the last three to four kilometres as it was only my second time racing the longer distance, so I feel I need to prepare more.

“This win is a new starting point for me, it has planted a seed for me in IRONMAN 70.3 and I am keen to further challenge myself in this distance and see how I can further push myself,” he said.

Women’s race – Siffert a class apart

Swiss athlete Alanis Siffert led the women’s race from start to finish, crossing the line in 4:05:30, eight minutes clear of Xinyu Lin (CHN), with Kaiye Mai (CHN) third.

Siffert finished the swim in 27:11, four seconds clear of Lin and steadily opened up her lead throughout the flat and fast bike leg. Once onto the run Siffert held the gap throughout the 21.1km to cross the line first. Mai was the big mover on the run, working her way up from fifth to claim the final spot on the podium.

Alanis Siffert taking the win at IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai Chongming — Alanis Siffert crosses the line in triumph [Photo credit: IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai Chongming]

“I’m super happy to be here and to be able to race and take the win, I could share the podium with my teammates Lin and Mai so it’s amazing, we’ve been training together and now racing together and winning together so I’m really happy,” said Siffert. “It was a beautiful course, really hard because it was very windy on the bike and very hot on the run but I had a lot of fun.

“I could swim with Lin so we got out together and I got onto the bike and then I just rolled in front very hard, it’s very hard because you’re alone and you have to keep pushing, keep focus and the course is just straight so you just have to be with yourself and the pain but I enjoy it, and then on the second lap you have all of the age-group athletes which always gives me a lot of energy to see them and to be there with them,” he said.

Siffert said she enjoyed the opportunity to race an IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon in Shanghai-Chongming.

“It’s my first time racing IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai Chongming but it’s not my first time in Chongming, I’ve been here before I’ve trained with the Chinese National Team here, we share the training together and I train in China a lot, I really like China, the triathlon community is amazing, people are very supportive, very happy, my team and coach are here which makes it special.”