Kiwis Cameron Brown and Jo Lawn have won historic titles at
Ironman New Zealand on Saturday.
Brown took his sixth Ironman NZ while Lawn wrapped
up her fifth success.
In a thrilling race Brown was run down by Australian Luke Bell and Dane Torbjorn Sindballe to win in eight hours 27 minutes and 36 seconds.
Brown and Bell ran side-by-side for much of the final before Brown pulled away with around five kilometres to go. The New Zealander won by just over a minute.
His win was all the more impressive as Brown has been suffering from a stomach virus for much of the week and was unsure if he'd be able to start. After the race he was taken to the medical tent.
The victory sees Brown join an exclusive club of only three people to win six titles in Ironman history.
Brown spent most of the week recovering and only confirmed he would start on Friday.
"It's very nice to win six here today," he said. "Today was very special for me.
"I would have loved to have celebrated a bit more but I was
absolutely had it at the finish line."
He admitted he had not been confident he would make it to the start
line.
"The porcelain bowl was my best friend for 12 hours. It wasn't nice.
"I was very scared that I might not be able to be on the start
line. But each day I got better and better and felt stronger and
stronger."
Meanwhile Lawn won the women's honours in just over nine hours
20 minutes.
She was never headed having led out of the swim leg, before
scorching through the bike and marathon run, to finish three
minutes outside of her own course record.
She too has suffered in the Taupo heat and has also been taken to
the medical tent.
Her victory means she surpasses the Erin Baker's mark of four
Ironman New Zealand wins.
