Florida man becomes 1st person with Down Syndrome to finish Ironman
Chris Nikic, a 21-year-old from Maitland, Florida, made history Sunday as the first person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman Triathlon.
Nikic finished the race - a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile run - within the 17-hour time limit to earn the Ironman title and a spot in the Guinness World Records book.
It's official! @SpecialOlympics Florida athlete @ChrisNikic is an IRONMAN 🏃♂️ 🚴 🏊♂️
— Special Olympics (@SpecialOlympics) November 8, 2020
Chris made history as the 1st person with Down syndrome to finish the full triathlon. His feat landed him in the Guinness World Records & inspired so many around the world! #Choosetoinclude #IMFL pic.twitter.com/OiiqnDSbEu
"The doctors and experts said I couldn't do anything," Nikic said ahead of the race, according to Kate Santich of the Orlando Sentinel. "So I said, 'Doctor! Experts! You need to stop doing this to me. You're wrong!'"