Dave Scott (triathlete) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dave Scott

Dave Scott
Medal record
Men's triathlon
Representing  United States
Ironman World Championship
Gold	1980	Elite
Gold	1982 (Oct)	Elite
Gold	1983	Elite
Gold	1984	Elite
Gold	1986	Elite
Gold	1987	Elite
Silver	1982 (Feb)	Elite
Silver	1989	Elite
Silver	1994	Elite

Dave Scott (born January 4, 1954) is a famous U.S. triathlete. He was the first person to win the Ironman World Championship six times! He won in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, and 1987.

Dave Scott was a pioneer in the sport of triathlon. In 1993, he was the very first person to be added to the Ironman Hall of Fame. People called him "The Man" because he trained so hard. His amazing race performances led to many wins.

Even at age 40, in 1994, he almost won a record-breaking seventh Ironman. He finished in second place. Two years later, in 1996, at age 42, he raced again and finished 5th. He even ran the marathon part of the race in just 2 hours and 45 minutes!

Dave Scott's Early Life and Sports

Dave Scott grew up in Davis, California. When he was in middle school, he enjoyed playing basketball and football. In high school, he played water polo at Davis High School. Later, at UC Davis, he started to focus more on swimming. Scott was a great swimmer. He won the Waikiki Rough Water Swim twice. This is a big open water swimming event.

In 1978, a U.S. Navy Commander named John Collins created the Ironman race. He combined a long swim, bike ride, and run. Dave Scott learned about this new race from a magazine called Sports Illustrated. Commander Collins gave him a flyer and suggested he try it. Scott saw it was a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. He thought, "That's a long three days!" But he was amazed that people could do it all in one day.

Before the Ironman, Scott had already competed in a triathlon in San Francisco. It was a shorter race: a nine-mile bike, a four-mile run, and a 1,500-meter swim. He won that event, and his prize was a turkey!

Dave Scott's Amazing Triathlon Career

Dave Scott raced in his first Ironman in 1980. He finished in 9 hours, 24 minutes, and 33 seconds. This was almost two hours faster than the previous winner! The TV channel ABC Wide World of Sports showed the event from Kona for the first time. Dave Scott's fast time and his racing style changed the Ironman. It became less about just finishing and more about racing to win.

Scott came in second place in the Ironman in February 1982. Later that year, in October 1982, he won the Ironman. In 1983, Scott won again. This was also the first Ironman for another famous triathlete, Mark Allen. Dave Scott and Mark Allen became big rivals. Scott won three of the next four Ironmans against Allen.

Scott has said that his race in 1994 made him the most proud. He was 40 years old and finished second. This was seen as an amazing achievement for someone his age. Two years later, Scott finished fifth overall. His last Ironman race was in 2001. Dave Scott was 47 years old then. He had back problems because of some last-minute changes to his bike. This made him leave the race early.

The "Ironwar" Race

In 1989, the competition between Dave Scott and Mark Allen was at its highest. This race is often called the "Ironwar" or "The Greatest Race Ever Run." Scott said that he didn't just focus on Mark Allen. But their strong desire to win made the race very close. They were "bouncing off of one another," he said. Mark Allen won that race, with Scott coming in second. Both of them broke Scott's old course record!

Ironman Race Results

DNC - Did not compete
DNF - Did Not Finish
(In 1982, the Ironman World Championship happened twice. This was because the race moved from February to October. Scott was second in the February race and won in October.)

Dave Scott's Life After Competing

Dave Scott used to be married to a swimmer, and they had three children. He now lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Today, Scott works as a triathlon coach. He also helps people with fitness and gives motivational speeches. He is a commentator for sports events and a consultant for companies. In 1986, he wrote a book called Dave Scott's triathlon training. Since 1999, Scott has been the head coach for Team in Training. He helps train coaches across the country for this program.

Scott has tried different diets, including vegetarian and vegan. Since 1994, he has eaten chicken and fish. He has shared his thoughts on vegan diets, saying they might not have enough Omega 3s.

See also

In Spanish: Dave Scott para niños