Lionel Sanders might be the biggest box-office draw in elite long-course triathlon. But as yet, he has never won the big one.

Back in 2017 the 36-year-old Canadian superstar finished second behind Patrick Lange on the Big Island of Kona, to date his best performance when the IRONMAN World Championship has landed in Hawaii.

Seven years on, and ‘No Limits’ is back again, complete with his daily coaching tribulations and eyeball-driving YouTube content, along with ace videographer Talbot Cox. Always popcorn-worthy content.

But on course it would be fair to say Lionel is something of an enigma heading into Kona this year. He has flown largely under the radar in 2024, with a lighter than usual schedule forced on him by an early-season rib injury.

Sanders ‘a wild card’ says Mark Allen

Six-time Kona king and all-time endurance sports great Mark Allen says Sanders is a ‘wild card’ this year, but does believe there are reasons to be hopeful that he can produce a big performance in Saturday’s showpiece (October 26).

He told TRI247: “Lionel, He’s a wild card, he’s dedicated his whole year to Kona – he’s really been under the radar a lot this year. He won in Oceanside looking awesome, 70.3 in the spring. But we haven’t seen much of him this year, and I think that’s probably a good thing.

“He hasn’t been going out there having these head-to-head matches and all these other races with anybody, the way he has done sometimes in the past. So he’s pretty focused, obviously.”

Not too many ‘tomorrows’

That increased focus, says Allen, is also likely to be fired by another factor for Sanders – the never-ending march of time.

“He is definitely somebody that is at that point of his career where it’s like ‘I don’t have a lot of tomorrows’. If he doesn’t win this year, it’s two more years before he gets a chance to try and win in Hawaii.”