During the coverage of Ironman 70.3 St. George today Ironman CEO Andrew Messick surprised six-time Ironman world champion Natascha Badmann with the news that the company is inducting her into the Ironman Hall of Fame in October.
The Swiss triathlon star became the first European woman to win the Ironman World Championship in 1998 – she had taken second at the event in 1996. She would go on to take a total of six titles, the last time being in 2005. In 2007 she hit a cone on the bike course in Hawaii, breaking her collar bone and injuring her shoulder. She did return to racing, becoming the oldest woman to win an Ironman race in 2012 when she claimed the Ironman South Africa title at the age of 45.
Carlos Moleda was a Navy Seal who was shot in action in Panama and paralyzed from the waist down. He would go on to become a five-time handcycle champion in Kona. In addition to his Ironman exploits, he’s also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, comleted the Race Across America and won the 367-mile Sadlers Ultra Challenge handcycle race in Alaska.
