Lionel Sanders facts for kids
Sanders at Mont Tremblant 70.3 2018
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 22 February 1988 Windsor, Ontario, Canada |
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| Residence | Windsor, Ontario, Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 72 kg (159 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Triathlon | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Lionel James Sanders (born February 22, 1988) is a Canadian professional triathlete. He is known for his amazing endurance in races that combine swimming, biking, and running. Lionel won the 2017 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. He also finished second at the tough Ironman World Championship in both 2017 and 2021.
Lionel Sanders' Triathlon Journey
Lionel Sanders grew up in Windsor, Ontario. He went to the University of Windsor and later to McMaster University in Hamilton. There, he was part of the cross-country running team.
In 2013, Lionel started racing in local triathlons in Ontario, Canada. He quickly showed his talent. His first professional race was the Muskoka Ironman 70.3 in September 2013, which he won! The next year, 2014, was also very successful for him. He won several Ironman 70.3 races in places like Muncie, Racine, and Steelhead. He also finished fourth at the 2014 Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Later that year, he won his first full Ironman race at Ironman Florida.
Lionel continued his winning streak in 2015, especially in 70.3 races. He won races in Galveston, Mont Tremblant, Muskoka, and Racine. He also achieved his first official full-distance Ironman victory at Ironman Arizona, finishing in under 8 hours. In 2016, Lionel set a new world record for the full-distance triathlon at Ironman Arizona. His winning time was 7:44:29. This record was later broken by another athlete in 2017.
In 2017, Lionel won the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in Penticton, Canada. He won almost every 70.3 race he entered that year. At the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, Lionel led for most of the race. He finished in an impressive second place. In 2018, he continued to win many races, including the Challenge Family "The Championship" and Mont-Tremblant 70.3. He also placed second at Ironman Mont-Tremblant.
Setting New Records
Lionel Sanders has also tried to set special records. On October 23, 2020, he broke the Canadian national hour record in cycling. This means he rode his bike further than any other Canadian in one hour, covering 51.304 kilometers!
On July 18, 2021, Lionel tried to break the long-distance triathlon world record in Germany. This race included a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km bike ride, and a 42.2 km run. While he didn't break the world record, he finished very close to the old record. He also set his own personal best times for the swim and bike parts of the race. His total time was 7 hours, 43 minutes, and 28 seconds.
About Lionel's Life
Lionel Sanders is married and has a son who was born in 2022. He has openly shared how sports helped him make positive changes in his life. He once said, "I want to prove to anyone who has ever battled challenges that not only can you overcome them, but you can turn yourself into something great in the process."
See also
In Spanish: Lionel Sanders para niños
