Australian triathlon legend Michellie Jones has once again proven that her passion and talent know no bounds, securing her third age group world championship title of 2025, at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Marbella, Spain over the weekend.
The 2009 AusTriathlon Hall of Fame inductee continues to inspire both as an athlete and coach, adding the 70.3 world title to her Sprint and Standard Distance World Championship victories from last month’s World Triathlon Championship Finals in Wollongong.
This remarkable “triple” winning world titles across three distances in the same season, has only ever been matched by one other Australian, Ken Murley in 2014.
Jones’ career has long been defined by excellence. As one of Australia’s most decorated triathletes, she has won two ITU Triathlon World Championships, an Olympic silver medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and the 2006 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, cementing her place among the sport’s all-time greats.
Reflecting on her latest achievement, Jones said it wasn’t driven by records, but by her enduring love for racing.
“It honestly never started as ‘I want to win three World Championships across three distances.’ It was more about the love of racing,” Jones shared.
“I really wanted to compete in Australia. Wollongong is where I went to college and first started triathlon back in 1988. After winning at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in New Zealand in 2024, I automatically qualified for Marbella.”
The Marbella course was as beautiful as it was brutal.
“The bike course was honestly the hardest I’ve ever ridden, almost 6,000ft of climbing, with wind and fatigue from a huge few months of travel,” she said. “But what a stunning course, and to share it with over 2,400 women from around the world on Saturday was really special.”
Even after decades at the top of her sport, Jones’ motivation remains grounded in passion and community.
“It honestly hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m incredibly honoured to still love and be in a position to race and represent Australia and to share these experiences with the athletes I coach through Giddy Up Coaching, who continue to inspire me every day.”
From Olympic medals to multiple world titles and now a historic triple crown as an age group athlete, Michellie Jones continues to set the standard for excellence in triathlon, proving that true champions never stop inspiring.
