User:John Cummings/Archive/Chris Nikic

Chris Nikic is an American Ironman Triathalon athlete, in 2020 at age 21, he became the first person with Downs syndrome to finish an Ironman triathalon. He completed the Ironman Florida triathlon in 16 hours 46 minutes nine seconds by first swimming 2.4 miles, cycling 112 miles and then running a (26.2-mile) marathon earning earn recognition from Guinness World Records. “We don't make any accommodations for anyone around the core elements of racing,” Andrew Messick, CEO of Ironman Group.

Nikic trained with Dan Grieb, who has completed 16 Ironman races for four to eight hours each day for around one year. He began exercising in 2017 with a single pushup and aimed to improve his performance 1% each day. '''I have to work hard and give my best every day. If I do an Ironman and become a pro-speaker I will have a chance to get my dream'.''

Early life
Nikic grew up in Florida, he had open-heart surgery at five months old, he was not able to walk well until four years old or eat solid food until age five.