Local IRONMAN Competitors Finish Strong

VIDEO: Mercedes DeCarli fulfills her dream, getting it done with a time of 13:2:44. An electric crowd sings YMCA just before stroke survivor Kevin Rhinehart crosses the Ironman finish line at 16:41:40. Crystal Richard video.

Onlookers cheered and sang while dancing in the Kona rain as the midnight finish of the 2016 IRONMAN World Championships in Kailua-Kona edged near.

Waiting at the finish line were 2016 Ironman World Champions Jan Frodeno of Germany and Daniela Ryf of Switzerland. The crowd roared as the two winners adorned athletes with kukui nut lei as they crossed the finish line.

Kevin Rhinehart crosses the finish line at the 2016 Ironman World Championship Oct. 8, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i. Photo: Crystal Richard

Among finishers was stroke survivor Kevin Rhinehart of Kona.

Competing in the PC Open Division, Rhinehart finished second in his division, with a 1,539 general ranking and 2,194 overall. Rhinehart completed the swim in 1:18: 38, ranking him first in his division. He ranked third in cycling at 8:55:26 and second for the run at 6:07:52, reaching the ultimate goal at 16:41:40.

When asked how it feels to be an IRONMAN, Rhinehart said, “Overwhelmed and grateful. And sore, sore, sore!”

To follow Rhinehart’s journey and learn more about his goal to help stroke survivors find empowerment and hope, visit his website.

Mercedes DeCarli fulfills her dreams as she crosses the 2016 Ironman finish line. Photo: Crystal Richard

“Coming down the finishers chute made all the pain from the day worth it,” explained Mercedes DeCarli.

Finishing her first Ironman and fulfilling her childhood dream with a time of 13: 2:45, DeCarli competed in the female 18 to 24 division. She ranked 16th with 1:10:28 for the swim, 25th in cycling at 7:11:28 and 24th at 4:30:35 for the run. She ranked 24th in her division, 516th in general rank with an overall rank of 1843.

When asked how she felt when hearing the words, “Mercedes DeCarli, you are an IRONMAN,” DeCarli exclaimed, “Hearing those words was like the icing on the cake. It was amazing to hear those words but it was even more amazing to have my family waiting there!”

James Resor during the marathon portion of Saturday’s Ironman triathlon in Kailua-Kona. Courtesy photo.

Kona’s James Resor came in at 12:41:29, ranking 217th in the men’s 35 to 39 division, 1,289 in general and 1,762 in overall rank.

Resor completed the swim with a time of 1:1:43, giving him a rank of 111. In the cycling, he finished at 6:41:30 at rank 220 and 4:42:18 for the run with 217 division rank.

“The race went well,” Resor said. “Not my best day. The course was brutally hard. Nothing we hadn’t prepared for, it’s just going to be a tough day no matter how you shake it.

“The best part was running my slowest marathon in 11 years,” said Resor. “I used it as my victory lap. I got to see many familiar faces and felt the encouragement from the kama‘aina. I’ve never felt so loved.”

Kristin Old competing in the last portion of the 2016 Ironman Word Championships on Oct. 8, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Courtesy photo.

Kristin Old completed her third Ironman World Championship with a time of 11:55: 57.

Summing up her day and experience, the Kealakehe math teacher said, “It was tough.”

She completed the swim in 1:04:39, the cycling course in 6:19:03 and the run in 4:24:25, giving Old division rank of 66, a general rank of 357 and an overall rank of 1,546.

For more on this year’s results, go online.

Sign up for an Ironman triathlon here.

UPDATE: Oct. 8, 4:45 p.m.

For the second year in a row Jan Frodeno and Daniela Ryf are the IRONMAN World Champions.

Jan Frodeno came in first with a time of 8:06:30., followed by Sebastian Kienle and Patrick Lange in a sweep for Germany.

Ironman logo floral display in the Marriott’s King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel lobby on Oct. 8, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i. Crystal Richard photo.

ORIGINAL POST: Oct. 8, 3 p.m.

The IRONMAN World Championship, triathlon’s most iconic event, has brought athletes together on the world stage in Kailua-Kona.

On Saturday, Oct. 8, over 2,000 athletes have embarked on a 140.6-mile run-swim-bike journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind and spirit to earn the title of IRONMAN.

The IRONMAN World Championship centers on the dedication and courage exhibited by participants who demonstrate the IRONMAN mantra that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

In 1981, the race moved from Waikiki to the barren lava fields of Kona on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Along the Kona Coast, black lava rock dominates the panorama, and athletes battle the “ho’omumuku” crosswinds of 45 mph, 95-degree temperatures and a scorching sun.

RELATED LINKS: IRONMAN 2016: Kona Athletes in the Spotlight

IRONMAN finish line. Crystal Richard photo.

Official race clock counts down to the cut-off time of 17 hours just before midnight on Oct. 8, 2016. Crystal Richard photo

Mercedes DeCarli at the finish line with Dan Gampon. Her time is 13:02.44. Crystal Richard photo.

Mercedes DeCarli heads out to get her bike after the triathlon’s morning swim at IRONMAN 2016 in Kona on Oct. 8. Courtesy photo.

IRONMAN 2016. Photo: www.ironman.com.

IRONMAN 2016. Photo: www.ironman.com.