Today's Ironman in Klagenfurt generated three new members of the Sub Nine club: Mary Beth Ellis, Diana Riesler and Heleen Bij De Vaate. And Erika Csomor showed that she remains super competitive.
Ellis's performance - stopping the clock at 8:43:34 - makes her the third fastest Iron Woman on the planet. Chrissie Wellington has the fastest time, 8:19:13 in Roth, Germany, a year ago and Rebekah Keat has the second fastest time with her 8:39:24 in Roth in 2009.
Ironman Austria also was Ellis's debut at the distance. From Delaware, this American now lives in Boulder, Colorado. While she ended her 2010 season on a low note, slowed by injuries and disappointing results, she's rebounded this year as a member of Team TBB.
In March Ellis won the 70.3 event in Singapore. She placed fourth in the 70.3 in Texas in early April and finished in second, just seven seconds behind Leanda Cave, at Wildflower on April 30.
The victory in Austria represents an early birthday gift to herself - she will turn 34 on July 12.
Ellis has been a pro since 2006. She's a US Olympic trials qualifier in three sports: triathlon, swimming and the marathon. She was second at the 70.3 World Championships in both 2008 and 2009. She won Escape from Alcatraz in 2009.
On her Team TBB profile, she wrote the following on how she prepares: "All the hard work is done in the years, months leading up to a race."
*Ellis is only the second US-born athlete to go Sub Nine. Sue Latshaw was the first when she went 8:59:31 in Roth in 1997.
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