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 a top athlete who competes in very tough races called triathlons. A triathlon combines swimming, biking, and running over long distances.
Lionel won the 2017 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. He also finished second twice at the famous Ironman World Championship in 2017 and 2021. In 2014, he came in fourth at the 2014 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Quebec. Lionel's first professional race was in September 2013, where he won the Muskoka Ironman 70.3.
Contents
Lionel's Triathlon Journey
Early Life and Start in Sports
Lionel Sanders was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He went to the University of Windsor. Later, he moved to McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. There, he was part of the cross-country running team.
In 2013, Lionel started racing in local triathlons in Ontario. He quickly showed how talented he was.
Becoming a Professional Triathlete
Lionel officially became a professional triathlete in September 2013. He won his first professional race, the 70.3 Muskoka. The next year, 2014, was very successful for him. He won several Ironman 70.3 races, including those in Muncie, Racine, and Steelhead.
After placing fourth at the 2014 Ironman 70.3 World Championships, Lionel competed in his first full Ironman race as a professional. He won Ironman Florida on November 1, 2014. The swimming part of that race was canceled because of bad weather.
Big Wins and Challenges
In 2015, Lionel continued to win many 70.3 races. However, he also learned a lot from some tougher full Ironman races. At Ironman Texas, he struggled with the heat and humidity. He finished fourth in that race.
His first time at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, was also a learning experience. He finished 14th there. Later that year, he won Ironman Arizona. He finished in under 8 hours, which was his first official full-distance victory.
Setting New Records
On November 20, 2016, Lionel Sanders set a new world record. He completed the full distance triathlon at Ironman Arizona in 7 hours, 44 minutes, and 29 seconds. This was a new best time for the sport.
However, his record was broken the next year by Tim Don.
Major Achievements in 2017 and 2018
In 2017, Lionel won the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. This big win happened in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. He won almost every 70.3 race he entered that year. The only exception was 70.3 St. George, where he came in second.
At the 2017 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, Lionel was leading for most of the marathon. But he was passed by Patrick Lange near the end. Lionel still held on to finish second, which was a huge achievement.
In 2018, Lionel kept up his winning streak. He won many races, including the Challenge Family "The Championship." He also won Mont-Tremblant 70.3. In full-distance races, he placed second at Ironman Mont-Tremblant.
Pushing the Limits
On October 23, 2020, Lionel broke the Canadian national hour record for cycling. He cycled a distance of 51.304 kilometers in one hour.
On July 18, 2021, Lionel Sanders tried to break the long-distance world record in triathlon in Germany. He finished the 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, and 42.2 km run in 7 hours, 43 minutes, and 28 seconds. While he didn't break the world record, he set new personal best times for his swim and bike sections.
Personal Life
Lionel Sanders has overcome personal challenges to become a top athlete. He is married to Erin Macdonald.
See also
In Spanish: Lionel Sanders para niños
