Search
shop

Thomas Frühwirth raises the bar at the IRONMAN World Championship

Austrian para-athlete, Thomas Frühwirth, was in sensational record-breaking form at the IRONMAN World Championship
Chief Correspondent
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

It’s three years since the IRONMAN World Championship was held on the Big Island of Hawaii, but athletes across the board have been making up for lost time, with record-breaking across the board and producing incredible performances in a series of stunning races.

On Thursday, Chelsea Sodaro became the female Pro roookie to take the Kona title since Chrissie Wellington on 2007. Her overall time there, 8:33:46, was the second fastest ever.

Saturday’s male Pro race saw the first 10 athletes break eight hours, the first four finish inside the previous course record, and the bike (Sam Laidlow) and run (Gustav Iden) course records being rewritten along the way.

Austria’s Thomas Frühwirth was also breaking barriers on Thursday, with a new all-time best in the Men’s handcycle division.

When you consider that the previous best was set by one of the greatest paratriathletes in history, Jetze Plat, that’s a big deal.

Distinguished history

Frühwirth is a long-time rival of the Dutch star, regularly taking silver to Plat in Para-Cycling road and time trial events at Paralympic Games and World Road Championships.

While the Austrian athlete’s focus has been in Para-Cycling, he’s no newcomer to triathlon either, including previous Hawaii appearances in 2010 and 2013.

He also raced (and won) at the delayed 2021 IRONMAN World Championship, held earlier this year in St George, Utah.

KAILUA KONA, HAWAII - OCTOBER 06: Thomas Fruhwirth of Austria competes during the run portion of the Ironman World Championships on October 06, 2022 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images for IRONMAN

Record breaker

Plat had set the previous record figures when he raced in Hawaii five years ago, completing the 2017 IRONMAN World Championship in a time of 8:41:47. That included splits of 53:14 (swim), 5:25:18 (hand cycle) and 2:19:20 (racing chair).

Racing this week, Frühwirth started his day with a 1:03:01 swim. It was once onto the second discipline however where he really made up ground on those record setting figures. He completed the 112-miles in a blistering 5:01:23.

KAILUA KONA, HAWAII - OCTOBER 06: Thomas Fruhwirth of Austria competes on the bike during the Ironman World Championships on October 06, 2022 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for IRONMAN

There was no backing off on the run either, with a 2:05:58 push in the racing wheelchair putting the current men’s handcyle record into another dimension. His finishing time of 8:15:39 slashed more than 26 minutes from the figures set by Jetze Plat. Stunning, and well inside his pre-race target of 8:30.

The Dutchman was, quite rightly, incredibly impressed:

Thomas Fruhwirth IRONMAN World Championship 2022
John Levison
Written by
John Levison
TRI247's Chief Correspondent, John has been involved in triathlon for well over 30 years, 15 of those writing on these pages, whilst he can also be found commentating for events across the UK.
Discover more
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
TRI-FIT VANGUARD tri suit review
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
Hayden Wilde bike supertri Boston 2024 photo credit supertri
Premium10 ways to make your road bike faster and more aero for triathlons
Kristian Blummenfelt photo credit: PTO Canadian Open
PremiumIs your gut health impacting your performance? The untapped potential of good gut health for triathletes
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
PremiumHas triathlon reached peak performance? Tri experts and legends on how much faster triathletes could get
latest News
Hayden Wilde bike supertri Boston 2024 photo credit supertri
Hayden Wilde’s comeback moving closer – and why he’s inspired by Clarkson’s Farm
Paris 2024 Women's Triathlon podium - Cassandre Beaugrand, Julie Derron, Beth Potter
GOLDEN opportunity for the sport as first medals of LA2028 will be women’s triathlon
Gordon Ramsay 703 Luxembourg 2025
‘I’M BACK and Cooking!’ – Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay celebrates triathlon return
Danielle Lewis (USA) takes the win in Lake Placid.
Start list for IRONMAN Lake Placid REVEALED – and it’s stacked with world class names
Julie Derron wins T100 San Francisco 2025
IRONMAN Vitoria-Gasteiz 2025: Olympic star wins by MORE than half an hour for first full-distance win
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

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...