Among the South African contingent was Dylan Holm, the youngest athlete in the field, whose IRONMAN journey began when he was carried across the finish line as a four-month-old baby.
Nice, France (15 September 2026)- In 2008, Dylan Holm crossed the IRONMAN South Africa finish line in his father’s arms as a four-month-old baby. This weekend, he crossed one himself.
Dylan was the youngest athlete at the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Nice, France, where he lined up alongside some of the best triathletes in the world.
His connection to the event goes back almost two decades. When his father competed at IRONMAN South Africa in 2008, four-month-old Dylan was in his arms as they crossed the finish line together. At the time, bringing a baby across the line was still allowed, giving Dylan a rather unique introduction to the world of IRONMAN.
Fast-forward to 2026, and Dylan was back at the finish line. He got to experience the race for himself and chase the iconic words his father heard all those years ago: “YOU ARE AN IRONMAN.”
South Africa was also represented by athletes including Jamie Riddle and Bridget Theunissen, with Riddle producing another impressive performance on the world stage.
Riddle finished seventh overall in 3:54:44, holding his own against one of the strongest fields in world triathlon.
He was among the leaders from the opening swim and remained in the fight throughout the race before crossing the line in seventh.
The result also gave Riddle back-to-back seventh-place finishes at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, having finished in the same position at the 2025 edition.
For a South African contingent that proudly showed up at the Parade of Nations before the racing began, there was plenty to celebrate by the time the weekend came to an end.
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