Sarah True collapses while leading final kilometer of IRONMAN European Championship
As the temperatures soared in Frankfurt, two-time U.S. Olympian Sarah True collapsed in the final kilometer of the IRONMAN European Championship in Germany recently.
Germany has been experiencing a record-breaking heatwave which led to the searing high temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius. As she ran towards the finish line, True had a seven-minute lead but was swerving badly from left to right, before she was carried off the course after nine hours of racing.
The IRONMAN European Championship is a gruelling test of endurance over 3.8km swim, 180km bike and a 42km run.
“Sad, frustrated, a million different things. You never expect to be in the position where you have a seven-minute gap, and your brain doesn’t function well enough to tell you you’re struggling in the heat,” said True.
“Just stop and walk a little because I still would have won. When your brain goes in the heat, there’s not a lot you can do.” True continued.
True, 37, finished fourth in her Kona Ironman World Championships debut last year.
Two-time U.S. Olympian Sarah True carried off the Ironman European Championship course in about 100-degree heat in Frankfurt, Germany on Sunday after 9 hours of racing. She was leading by 7 minutes with a kilometer to go in the marathon, after a 2.4-mile swim and 112-mile bike. pic.twitter.com/Tc0iNEzylf
— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) July 1, 2019
Source: NBC Sports
