As Brenda Avery gingerly crossed the Women’s Ironman World Championship finish line in Kailua-Kona Saturday night at around 7:35 p.m., she was caught by volunteers who kept her from collapsing to the ground.
While she looked like she was in pain, she was all smiles as she was escorted to the recovery tents on the grounds of the King Kamehameha Beach Hotel.
Shortly after Avery’s crossing, another Big Island resident finished: Jamie Ronning, who was greeted with plumeria lei by her two children and husband.
Avery, who has now finished three Ironman World Championships, and Ronning were the first two Big Island triathletes to cross the finish line, with Avery showing a preliminary time of 12:47:14 in the Ironman Tracker app and placing 16th out of 80 in the 60-64 age group.
Ronning’s preliminary finish time was 12:53:54, placing 161st out of 199 in the 35-39 age group. This was Ronning’s first Ironman World Championship.
All eight Big Island triathletes completed the grueling 140.6-mile swim, bike and run course.
Walking back to the recovery tents, Ronning was out of breath.
“I feel rough,” she said. “But I feel so proud.”
Ronning said the race took her to some dark places as she pushed through physical pain.
“I just felt like I couldn’t finish,” she said.
Despite the physical discomfort, Ronning said she loved it.
“Every mile someone was cheering my name, and I just felt so loved by my community,” she said. “It was unbelievable.”
The remaining six Big Island triathletes trickled across the finish line throughout Saturday evening.
Allegra Petras of Hilo had a preliminary finish time of 13:35:33, according to the Ironman Tracker app, placing 131st out of 209 in the 50-54 age group.
Anna Thomas of Kailua-Kona had a finish time of 14:06:13, placing 190th out of 198 in the 30-34 age group.
Sheryl Younger of Pepe‘ekeo finished at 14:37:43 and place 217th out of 235 in the 40-44 age group.
Mana Akana of Kailua-Kona finished in 15:18:10 and 228th out of 234 in the 40-44 age group.
Ashleigh Janairo of Hōlualoa finished in 16:12:59 and 195th out of 198 in the 35-39 age group.
Christina Vance of Kailua-Kona finished in 16:16:40 and 196th out of 198 in 30-34 age group.
