The triathlete will return to Kona with renewed enthusiasm
The triathlete Nicholas Ward, British by birth, but resident in Lanzarote since he was 10 years old, was successful in qualifying for the IRONMAN World Championship in the last edition of IRONMAN Lanzarote. This is the third time he has achieved this feat, and it serves to encourage him to continue enjoying his sport on this magical island for triathletes.
15 years after my last, participation, I’m in Hawaii. I thought it was time to give it a go again
Nico prepared meticulously for IRONMAN Lanzarote with the objective of obtaining the age group classification that would give him the pass to compete in IRONMAN Kona. Since his arrival on the island at the age of 10, he has always been involved in sport in different disciplines, but it was triathlon that caught his attention the most. His first competitive experience in the discipline was in an event organised by the high school IES Yaiza. Since then, triathlon has been a fundamental part of his life.
We always say it’s like we feel the energy from the island
For many years he enjoyed triathlon as an amateur, achieving great results, including qualifying for Hawaii in 2007, also achieved through IRONMAN Lanzarote. After these excellent results, he was able to make the leap to become a professional athlete, and to take advantage of the island’s perfect conditions to prepare for different goals, including a second chance to participate in Hawaii as a professional in 2009. An injury slowed his progress, but he took advantage of the situation to complete his academic training in Denmark. In 2020, he came back to Lanzarote with the aim of returning to his sport, competing in the Lanzarote IRONMAN, and excited about the idea of one day returning to Kona.
Now in 2024, he has once again qualified for Hawaii in the 40-45 age group. In October he will once again find himself competing among the best IRONMAN triathletes in the world, this time with more experience under his belt and without the pressure of a specific result. For Nico, the last IRONMAN Lanzarote competition was a very special day, not only because of the results he achieved, but also because of the support he received throughout the race from spectators and fans, and especially from his family.
Nico says he feels very lucky to be able to train in a place which offers very similar conditions to those he will find in Hawaii, and he hopes to be in good shape to cross the finish line of this legendary competition. “Many triathletes come to Lanzarote from other places to prepare for this race, because the island offers perfect training conditions, so I have to take full advantage of the fact that I can train at the highest level at home.“
