This article is another written from the suggestion of
http://www.firstoffthebike.com/ - check there for more great triathlon news and stories...including several of mine!!
It is surely a sign that you've made it in your field when you're simply known by your first name, with no further explanation needed; like when someone mentions your name and everybody just nods in agreement. Think of people like Tiger, Roger, Madonna...and now add to that list, Chrissie. Sure, the circle of interest around triathlon is small, but certainly within the triathlon world - Ironman and I'd also suggest, ITU - Chrissie can be none other than Chrissie Wellington. She needs no introduction.
Chrissie Wellington's feats and accomplishments are well documented, and equally well marvelled at. But in the same way that great sporting champions almost transcend their sport, Chrissie is well on the way to doing the same in triathlons. Here's some good reasons why she rules the triathlon world.
1. She is good.
This is stating the obvious, of course, but Chrissie has the aura she does because in her chosen event she is unbeaten, and unbeatable. Some might say that in order to rule the triathlon world she should have a wider range of performance in other triathlon distances, like tennis players winning on all surfaces, golfers on all courses, etc. However when history is written her results and performances over Ironman distances will stand the test of time. The only other athlete I can think of with a similarly perfect winning record is Herb Elliott over 1500m / mile distance, whom history has elevated to legend status. They both won/win every time.
2. She has raised the performance bar
The greatest athletes in history were not just good, but set new standards of performance in doing so. They performed and won in ways - and by margins - that hadn't been seen before, and became the benchmark for how to compete, whether it's in endurance or more skill-based sports. Athletes like Sergey Bubka, Usain Bolt, Martina Navratilova, Paula Radcliffe and others are in this category and dominated their sport. The history of sport shows these people popping up at infrequent intervals, but whose legacy was to give their competition a kick in the pants to raise their own performance in order to be competitive. And surely, over time, the field caught up only for another standard setter to emerge. Chrissie has had a similar effect in Ironman triathlons.
3. She is humble
To quote from her recent Sth African IM race report, "As I have said before, my goal is for self-improvement, to do justice to my hard work...and to continue to challenge my own limits. I never expected to break the World Record...and in doing so I have challenged my own preconceptions about what is possible. I don’t find it easy. I endure highs and lows just like any other athlete, there are times when my body is screaming, when I don’t know if I can finish, and when I question why on earth I am actually putting myself through this torture. But that’s where the mind takes over, and I draw strength and confidence from people who inspire me."
As much as she is an amazing athlete, she is also very humble in how she assess what she strives for and what she achieves. She manages to maintain a connection with the real world aspirations and dreams of everyday athletes and not appear arrogant, complacent or aloof. She's the kind of rival you'd want to hate, but can't, and in doing so earns the respect and admiration of her peers at all levels.
She also writes the best race reports ever!!
4. Her background is unorthodox
In endurance sports athletes are (usually) rewarded for years - even decades - of consistent toil and hard work from an early age and often peaking in their late-twenties and into their thirties. Chrissie defies that norm and yet is the best in the world after only a handful of years, which followed what seems like pretty average sporting participation growing up. In doing so she developed a very rounded life and perspective - also perhaps a little unorthodox - and could seemingly walk away from the sport and back into a professional working role whenever triathlon loses interest for her...Ian Thorpe gave a similar impression, in my opinion. To have that entry point into triathlons, let alone becoming the best in the world, is just not how it is usually done and only adds weight and credibility to comments she makes about the sport.
5. She is known outside the sport
The best athletes in the world are recognised outside of their sport for the excellence they bring to arena, and their impact on their event. All the people already mentioned easily fit into this category in terms of recognition and admiration for their abilities. Chrissie has gone the closest of any triathlete to achieving such recognition outside of triathlons. The renowned and widely respected web-site, The Science of Sport, named her as their Sportswoman of 2010 with detailed analysis of her performances in a male-female comparison, followed up with similar article after her Sth African IM victory.
In writing about Chrissie receiving this award they commented, “But to be an overall sports person of the year, you can't just win against your rivals, you need to dominate them, move your sport forward a generation, change its history, and become "mainstream".” and, “The conclusion I'd draw then is that Wellington has taken women's Ironman distance triathlon and bounced it forward by virtue of her amazing performances.”
Chrissie Wellington is the “big cheese” in triathlon currently. Although some may argue the merit of a Hawaii IM victory against an Olympic Gold Medal, it is the manner of her performances and what this has done for the sport is why she rules the triathlon world. This is all without mentioning the positive influence she has on female participation in not just triathlons, but sport in general.
