There were plenty of blow ups during an incredible IRONMAN World Championship in Kona – and eventual runner-up Magnus Ditlev has revealed his name was so nearly added to the list.

Defending champion Sam Laidlow’s implosion after what had been a record-breaking bike leg was the most high-profile.

He saw a nine-minute lead to eventual winner Patrick Lange gobbled up within the first half of the marathon, with Laidlow reduced to a walk before he bravely battled to the finish.

‘People were blowing up all over the place’

But great Dane Ditlev had been the man for most of the 112 miles who had been closest to Laidlow on two wheels.

However he so nearly paid the price for that as he lost chunks of time in the closing stages of the bike, so much so that he admitted: “I was very certain my day was done when I entered T2.”

Going into more detail at the post-race press conference, which is embedded below, he added: “Somehow, I told myself at least run out at an easy pace you know you can sustain. Run out to the turnaround at Ali’i Drive [the very first section] and see where you are.

“I didn’t feel really good on the run to be honest and people came past me in the beginning but then I could see that the gaps were stabilising and people were blowing up all over the place so I kind of just basically put one foot in front of the other for the entire run.”

Mental strength

But that strength of mind would pay dividends as he started to move back through the field.

He explained how the tide started to turn, saying: “I suddenly found myself close to the podium and that was when everything flicked in my head and I found the motivation again.

“I was pretty certain that I was running at a pace that I would be able to sustain and in an IRONMAN in these conditions, you know that when the gaps stabilise and the people in front of you are getting closer, you know which way it’s going to go.

“That really motivated me and I’m super happy and proud that I managed to come in second place here. I didn’t even think I would be able to run the marathon when I entered T2 but I’ve been doing a lot of work on my mental game.”

Ditlev’s second place – in common with the first four of Lange, himself, Rudy von Berg and Leon Chevalier – was one better than last year and it’s pushed him within a whisker of the #1 spot on the update PTO world rankings.