Nina Kraft facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 31 December 1968 Braunschweig |
| Died | 17 August 2020 (aged 51) |
| Height | 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 61 kilograms (134 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country | Germany |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 8:58:43 |
Nina Kraft (born December 31, 1968 – died August 17, 2020) was a professional triathlete from Germany. She was known for her amazing endurance and strong performances in long-distance triathlon races, especially the Ironman events.
Contents
Nina Kraft's Triathlon Journey
Before becoming a full-time athlete in 1998, Nina Kraft worked as a drafter. This means she helped create detailed technical drawings. Besides being a top triathlete, Nina was also an artist! She said that art helped her relax and take a break from her intense training.
A Challenging Race and Its Aftermath
In 2004, Nina Kraft had a fantastic year. She won Ironman Germany in July. A few months later, in October, she crossed the finish line first at the Ironman World Championship. Everyone thought she was the new Ironman World Champion.
However, about a month later, tests showed that Nina had used a forbidden substance called EPO. She and her coach admitted they made the choice to use this substance. Because of this, she lost her championship title. The second-place finisher, Natascha Badmann, was then given her fifth Ironman world title.
The German Triathlon Federation (DTU) banned Nina Kraft from competing for one year. The World Triathlon Corporation, which runs Ironman events, also banned her from all Ironman races worldwide until October 2006. After this event, the DTU created something called the Elitepass. Only athletes with this pass could win prize money, and they would have surprise drug tests.
Nina's Comeback Story
After her ban in Germany ended, Nina Kraft started training again in Clermont, Florida. She joined a club in Braunschweig called Tri-Lions and got her Elitepass from the DTU.
On February 12, 2006, Nina competed in her first race after the ban. She won second place at the 15th Triathlon De Santos in Brazil. In August 2006, she won the German championship in a half-Ironman race in Kulmbach. She finished a whole 12 minutes ahead of the next person!
In May 2007, she won the Ironman Brazil. On November 3 of the same year, she won the Florida Ironman. She finished in 9 hours, 5 minutes, and 35 seconds, which was a new record for that course.
Nina also won the Tallahassee Marathon in 2009 with a new course record. She then won the Ironman Louisville three times: in 2009, 2011, and 2014. When she won in 2014, she was 45 years old, making her the oldest female Ironman gold medalist at that time.
Key Achievements and Race Results
Nina Kraft had many impressive results throughout her career:
- First place finishes:
- Ironman Louisville 2014 - (9:31:19)
- Ironman Louisville 2011 - (9:38:14)
- Ironman Louisville 2009 - (9:20:21)
- Ironman Florida 2007 - (9:05:35)
- Ironman Brazil 2007 - (9:12:39)
- Opel Ironman Germany Frankfurt 2004 - (8:58:43)
- Ironman Germany Frankfurt 2003 - (9:03:11)
- Quelle Challenge Roth 2002 - (9:12:41)
- Ironman Europe Roth 2001 - (9:24:29)
- Ironman South Africa 2001 - (9:33:11)
- Second place finishes:
- Ironman Hawaii 2002 - (9:14:23)
- Ironman Europe Roth 1999 - (9:29:25)
- Third place finishes:
- Ironman Hawaii 2003 - (9:17:16)
- Ironman Hawaii 2000 - (9:41:01)
She also won two marathons in 2009, the Tallahassee Marathon and the Gasparilla Marathon. In both races, she was the fastest overall female runner and the fastest in the masters category (for older athletes).
See also
In Spanish: Nina Kraft para niños
