Lionel Sanders made a powerful statement to open his 2026 season, delivering a commanding victory at Ironman 70.3 Dallas–Little Elm. The Canadian star left little doubt about his early-season form, overpowering the field in a race shortened by weather conditions.
Severe weather and strong currents forced organizers to adjust the swim segment. While the age-group race had the swim entirely canceled, the professional field completed a shortened 350-meter swim instead of the usual 1.9 kilometers. The change played directly into Sanders’ hands, as the swim is traditionally the discipline where he loses the most time. With the abbreviated distance, the entire field exited the water within seconds of each other, allowing Sanders to remain perfectly positioned among the leaders.
Once on the bike, Sanders began to assert control. Only Germany’s Leonard Arnold was able to stay with him as the two riders quickly separated themselves from the rest of the field. Not even big names such as Josh Lewis, Ben Kanute, Rudy von Berg, and Andrea Salvisberg could match their pace. By the time the leaders reached T2, Sanders and Arnold held nearly a three-minute advantage over the chasers.
Any hopes Arnold had of contesting the win disappeared early on the run. Sanders surged away within the opening kilometers, steadily increasing the gap and leaving no doubt about the outcome. The only remaining question was the final time, which stopped at an impressive 3:17:12 for the Canadian.
Behind him, the battle for the remaining podium positions proved far more dramatic. Ben Kanute, Andrea Salvisberg, and Jannik Schaufler fought closely throughout the run, ultimately crossing the line in that order. Kanute finished second, 2 minutes and 27 seconds behind Sanders, followed by Salvisberg at 2:33 and Schaufler at 2:41.
