{"id":18365,"date":"2022-10-15T12:12:07","date_gmt":"2022-10-15T10:12:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.220triathlon.com\/?p=95183"},"modified":"2022-10-18T15:26:14","modified_gmt":"2022-10-18T13:26:14","slug":"gustav-iden-background-career-highlights-quotes","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/rss_feed\/gustav-iden-background-career-highlights-quotes\/","title":{"rendered":"Gustav Iden: Background, career highlights, quotes"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Nige Tassell\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Saturday, 15 October 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

He might not yet have hit the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) heights of his contemporary and compatriot Kristian Blummenfelt<\/a>, but Gustav Iden isn\u2019t playing in the shadows.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He\u2019s felt his fair share of the white light of adulation. That\u2019s the by-product of twice winning the Ironman 70.3 world title and the 2022 Ironman world title\u2026<\/p>\n

Who is Gustav Iden?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Norway waits an age for a world-class triathlete and three come along at once. And were he not of the same generation as Blummenfelt and Casper Stornes, Gustav Iden would be the sole beneficiary of a country\u2019s adoration. As it is, the love has to be shared three ways.<\/p>\n

Like Blummenfelt, Iden is a son of the city of Bergen who held the national title as a junior. He can\u2019t remotely match the record of his compatriot when it comes to WTCS success, but he\u2019s three years younger, so there\u2019s time in reserve to match his (slight) elder.<\/p>\n

Indeed, Iden is yet to win a WTCS race, but has made the podium on two occasions, both in the agreeable temperatures of Bermuda.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s in 70.3 and Ironman racing where his greatest mark has been made; he\u2019s the current \u2013 and two-time \u2013 70.3 world champion, having gone longer at a younger age than most.<\/p>\n

But then on 8 October 2022, he hit the biggest league of all \u2013 by winning the Ironman world title on debut in what was only his second-ever full-Ironman race. For good measure, he also smashed the course record by a cool 11mins.<\/p>\n

Not that he\u2019ll be jettisoning WTCS racing; 2023 sees him \u2013 and Blummenfelt \u2013 return to the world of short course in a bid to retain the Olympic title in Norway.<\/p>\n

How old is Gustav Iden?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Credit: Charly Triballeau\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Gustav Iden was born on 1 May 1996, making him 26 years old.<\/p>\n

Gustav Iden\u2019s career highlights<\/strong><\/h2>\n

September 2017: A maiden victory in the elite ranks<\/strong><\/h3>\n

After being a national junior champion at both duathlon and triathlon, Iden secures his first elite victory at the ITU World Cup race in Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic. After an average swim, a strong bike and dominant run combine to take the win.<\/p>\n

March 2018: First top 10 WTS finish<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Iden\u2019s upward trajectory continues as he takes his place in the top 10 of WTS Abu Dhabi, finishing ninth, just ahead of the experienced South African Richard Murray.<\/p>\n

April 2018: A 1-2-3 for Norway in Bermuda<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Just a month after his Abu Dhabi top 10, Iden tastes the WTS limelight with third place in Bermuda, behind his two compatriots Stornes and Blummenfelt. With Javier G\u00f3mez<\/a><\/strong> and Mario Mola heading into the closing years of their careers, it feels as though Spain\u2019s dominance of men\u2019s triathlon is being passed over to Norway.<\/p>\n

April 2019: A case of history repeating in Bermuda<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Iden repeats his third place of 12 months earlier, although this time he\u2019s the highest-placed Norwegian, with Bergen buddy Blummenfelt only managing fifth place. Iden\u2019s growing consistency is clear this season as he also registers fourth-placed finishes in both Tokyo and Lausanne.<\/p>\n

September 2019: Middle-distance world glory is achieved<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Credit: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez\/Getty Images for Ironman<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

As much as Iden is beginning to punch through on the WTS scene, it\u2019s at 2019\u2019s Ironman 70.3 World Championship that he makes his greatest impact when he comfortably holds off the challenge of Alistair Brownlee on the Nice waterfront to grab a nearby Norwegian flag and claim the world crown for his own<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

September 2021: The world title defence is delayed but ultimately successful<\/strong><\/h3>\n

To prove that 2019 wasn\u2019t a flash in the pan, Iden retains his world 70.3 title<\/a><\/strong> two years later after no event was held in 2020. In somewhat more challenging conditions in St George, Utah, including hailstorms and heavy rain, Iden holds off a strong field.<\/p>\n

His job is made easier when arguably his closest rival, Blummenfelt, needs a wheel change and loses touch with the ever-depleting lead group.<\/p>\n

November 2021: A highly impressive full-distance Ironman debut<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Iden travels to Ironman Florida as an unknown prospect, but he certainly makes his presence and potential felt. Matching Canada\u2019s Lionel Sanders stride for stride in the first 16 miles of the run, Iden then breaks away to take the win, in the process registering a tremendous 2:34:51 for the marathon.<\/p>\n

July 2022: A Norweigan show-down\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Gustav runs home to take the win at the 2022 PTO Canadian Open in Hawrelak Park, Edmonton. (Credit: PTO)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Iden takes part in the inaugural 2022 PTO Canadian Open for a stake in the $100k prize pot. After many race favourites suffer from niggles out on the course, Iden shows his world-class prowess by running all competitors down to victory<\/a><\/strong>, including teammate and compatriot Blummenfelt.<\/p>\n

August 2022:\u00a0King of the 100k\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Makes light work of Match 11 in the Collins Cup<\/strong><\/a> against the USA\u2019s Matt Hanson and Team Internationals\u2019 Jackson Laundry to claim victory. He also clocks\u00a0the second fastest time of the day, just behind Blummenfelt, to help Team Europe retain their title.<\/p>\n

October 2022: Wins the 2022 Ironman world title<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Gustav Iden celebrates after winning the 2022 Ironman World Championship. (Credit: Tom Pennington\/Getty Images for Ironman)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Despite his compatriot Blummenfelt being the main favourite, Iden delivers a breathtaking performance to take the title in a course record time of 7:40:24<\/strong><\/a>, taking a whopping 11mins off Jan Frodeno<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s 2019 time. He also smashes the run record by 3:30mins (set by Patrick Lange<\/strong><\/a> in 2016) with a\u00a02:36:15.<\/p>\n

Gustav Iden quotes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On the difference between Ironman 70.3 and Olympic-distance racing: \u201c70.3 is a game of patience and numbers \u2026 In ITU, everything depends on staying with the pack. It\u2019s a game of cat and mouse.\u201d<\/p>\n

On his first 70.3 world championship<\/a><\/strong>: \u201cI was joking on Instagram that I was just going to go out and go do it, but to be here as a world champion\u2026 It\u2019s unbelievable and it\u2019s amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the perception of triathlon in Norway: \u201cIt is gradually becoming a sport of the people. It\u2019s slowly getting traction on TV and the local newspaper in my hometown often writes about it. But football is still very big, which does not make sense, because we are really bad. Like really, really bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

On winning the 2022 Ironman world title: \u201cKristian is the Olympic champion and reigning ITU [World Triathlon] world champion, set the fastest ever time, and the two of us have every title now except the ITU long distance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also have the PTO No 1 position, the Challenge Championship and Collins Cup wins. We have everything and to be part of this group is extremely special. I\u2019m proud of how we\u2019re working.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for Gustav Iden?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Continued world domination.<\/p>\n

Top image credit:<\/strong> Patrick McDermott\/Getty Images for Ironman<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n

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