Nearly two decades after conquering the 2006 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Michellie Jones is still proving that greatness doesn’t fade – it evolves. Over the weekend in Marbella, Spain, the Australian legend added yet another chapter to one of triathlon’s most remarkable careers, winning her second consecutive age-group world title at the 2025 Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
Racing in the women’s 55–59 category, Jones completed the demanding course in 5:25:36 – including a 35:32 swim, 3:07:46 bike, and 1:37:59 run – to repeat her 2024 triumph from Taupō, New Zealand. Among the 6,300 athletes representing 114 countries, Jones once again stood out not just for her result, but for what it represents: the enduring excellence of an athlete who refuses to slow down.
For those who have followed her career, this is no surprise. Michellie Jones has long been one of the sport’s most complete athletes – a dual ITU World Champion (1992 and 1993), Xterra World Champion (1996), Olympic silver medalist (Sydney 2000), and of course, the 2006 IM World Champion. Few have mastered so many disciplines across so many eras of triathlon.
After transitioning from professional racing, Jones didn’t simply step back. She stepped forward – guiding Paralympian Katie Kelly to a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, mentoring rising stars as a Certified Coach, and leading the UC San Diego Tritons triathlon team as head coach. Her legacy was cemented long ago, but she keeps redefining what longevity in elite sport looks like.
Now based in Carlsbad, California, Jones continues to inspire a new generation – not just with medals, but with her approach: a blend of professionalism, humility, and relentless passion for the sport that made her a household name in triathlon.
Her induction into the Ironman Hall of Fame (2019), as well as the ITU and Triathlon Australia Halls of Fame, recognized her past achievements. Her back-to-back age-group world titles show that Michellie Jones is still writing her story – and the next chapters are just as inspiring as the first.