It may not have been a race stacked with the sport’s biggest names, but Austrian triathlete Anna Pabinger added a major highlight to her career with a decisive victory at Ironman Chattanooga. She sealed her triumph with a dominant marathon performance, shutting down the competition early in the run.
Few had her on their shortlist of contenders, especially after she exited the water in 13th place, trailing the leaders by more than seven minutes. But once on the bike, Pabinger launched an impressive charge. By the 45 km mark, she had surged into fifth place, closing the gap to race leader Jodie Robertson to just under three minutes.
Her momentum continued throughout the bike leg, eventually moving her up to third. Although she lost some time to both Robertson and Danielle Fauteux, Pabinger positioned herself perfectly for the marathon. Robertson hit T2 first with a 5:55 cushion over Pabinger, while Fauteux was only 30 seconds behind Robertson.
From the very start of the run, Pabinger set a blistering pace. Within the opening 10 kilometers, she had erased more than four minutes of her deficit. Just a few kilometers later, she surged into the lead – a lead she would never relinquish. From that point on, it was clear the Austrian was on her way to victory.
Pabinger crossed the finish line in 8:38:55, securing not just the win but also a massive margin over her rivals. Robertson settled for second in 8:54:39, while Fauteux rounded out the podium in 9:01:56.