Australia’s Jed Radbone claimed his maiden IRONMAN 70.3 title at Desaru Coast in Malaysia on Sunday – twelve years after a devastating accident left him fearing he might never walk again.
The 25-year-old conquered soaring temperatures and a demanding course 4:13:01, powering through the final stages of the run to cross the line as the overall male champion.
The South Australian was just 13 when a serious accident on his family’s farm left him with a shattered pelvis, after the Gator utility buggy he was driving flipped and crashed.
“I broke my pelvis in four places. It was a pretty severe accident,” Radbone said.
“I almost lost the ability to walk, so I’m super grateful to be out there competing in a sport that demands so much from the human body.”
On debut at Desaru Coast – and having only taken the sport seriously for four years – Radbone admitted he wasn’t sure how he would stack up.
“When I arrived at the hotel and saw the other triathletes – big legs, massive calves – I was a bit worried,” he joked.
“But I just focused on myself and pushed really hard, especially during the swim. I was among the front guys in that leg.”
Radbone, who is yet to tackle a full IRONMAN, was thrilled to earn his first 70.3 title and hinted there’s more to come.
“I haven’t done a full IRONMAN before. I think four hours is enough for me! I’ve got small legs, but we’ll see what happens next year.”
“I’d love to come back next year and defend my title,” he added.
“I think it’s going to become a big race in the years to come.
“I’ve fallen in love with this place and I’m super happy to get this result. The combination of the heat and the tough course makes it very challenging.”
