Lionel James Sanders (born February 22, 1988) is a Canadian professional triathlete winner of the 2017 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. In 2017 and 2021, he also placed second at the Ironman World Championship.[3][4] In 2014 he placed fourth in the 2014 Ironman 70.3 World Championship held in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec.[5] Sanders's first professional race was in September 2013 at the Muskoka Ironman 70.3,[6] where he took 1st place over Andreas Raelert.

Lionel Sanders
Sanders at Mont Tremblant 70.3 2018
Personal information
Full nameLionel James Sanders
Born (1988-02-22) 22 February 1988 (age 36)[1]
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Weight72 kg (159 lb)[2]
Sport
CountryCanada
SportTriathlon
Turned pro2013
Medal record
Men's Triathlon
Representing  Canada
Ironman World Championship
Silver medal – second place 2017 Individual
Silver medal – second place 2021 Individual
ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2017 Individual

Career

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Born in Windsor, Ontario, Sanders attended the University of Windsor, and later transferred to McMaster University in Hamilton where he ran for the cross-country running team.[7]

In 2013 Sanders began to race local Ontario Multisport Canada triathlons. Sanders officially began his professional triathlete career in September when he continued his win streak by taking first place in 70.3 Muskoka.[citation needed] The following year Sanders went on to have a successful 2014 Ironman 70.3 season with notable wins at the Ironman 70.3 races in Muncie, Racine and Steelhead.[8] After his 4th-place finish at the 2014 Ironman 70.3 World Championships Sanders finished his first Ironman distance race as a professional at Ironman Florida on November 1, 2014; an event he won. In that race, the swim was cancelled due to poor conditions.[9]

Sanders had a string of 70.3 victories in 2015, combined with some learning experiences at the Ironman distance. At Ironman Texas Sanders struggled under the oppressive heat & humid conditions, fading on the run and taking a fourth. At Ironman Mont Tremblant Sanders had a disappointing performance, finishing fifth. This was Sanders's first time competing at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii where he finished 14th. Sanders went on to Ironman Arizona finishing with a time under 8 hours to take his first official full distance victory (a year before he won Ironman Florida, however the swim was cancelled).[citation needed]

On November 20, 2016, Sanders set a new world record for the full distance triathlon at Ironman Arizona, with a winning time of 7:44:29. The previous record, held by Marino Vanhoenacker, had stood for five years.[citation needed] Sanders' 2016 Record was broken by Tim Don in 2017 Edition of Ironman Brazil in Florianopolis.[10]

In 2017, Sanders won ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. Sander's won all but one 70.3 race that he entered, the exception being 70.3 St. George, where he finished second to Alistair Brownlee.[11] Sanders led the Ironman World Championship in Kona Hawaii through mile 23 of the marathon before being passed by Patrick Lange. Lionel would hold on to finish second.[12] In 2018 Sanders continued his success, winning most of his races, except Oceanside 70.3, which he lost to Jan Frodeno. In June, he won Challenge Family "The Championship" again against Sebastian Kienle in a time of 3:44 before winning Mont-Tremblant 70.3.[citation needed] In full distance racing, Sanders placed 2nd at Ironman Mont-Tremblant and 29th at the Ironman World Championships.

Record attempts

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On October 23, 2020, Sanders broke the Canadian national hour record with a distance of 51.304 kilometres.[13]

On the 18th of July 2021 Lionel Sanders joined Jan Frodeno in Allgäu, Germany trying to beat the long-distance world record in triathlon. This was a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike and 42.2 km run. Frodeno broke his own record while Sanders came within eight minutes of the old record while also setting two personal best splits with the swim and the bike. His results were: 50:59 – 4:00:26 – 2:50:31 with a final time of 7:43:28.[14][15]

Personal

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Sanders has been public about the substance abuse problem that eventually led him to sign up for the 2010 Ironman Louisville in late 2009.[16] He finished in a time of 10:14:31.[17] The Hamilton Spectator wrote an in-depth article detailing his substance abuse past and how he will be telling this story for the rest of his life. He was quoted as saying, "I want to prove to anyone who has ever battled addiction that not only can you beat it, but you can turn yourself into something great in the process."[18]

Sanders is married with a son born in 2022.[19]

Race history

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2013

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Date Race Distances Time Rank
May 11, 2013 IronHawk Duathlon 5k - 30k - 5k 1:20:37 1st
May 26, 2013 Caledon Sprint Triathlon 400m - 15k - 5k 49:49 1st
June 2, 2013 Ontario Duathlon Champs 10k - 40k - 5k 1:44:09 1st
June 8, 2013 MSC Binbook Triathlon 750m - 30k - 7.5k 1:20:27 1st
June 16, 2013 Ontario Sprint Tri Champs 750m - 20k - 5k 57:21 1st
June 22, 2013 MSC Welland Triathlon 750m 30k - 7.5k 1:19:08 1st
July 6, 2013 MSC Huronia Triathlon 1500m - 40k - 10k 1:58:48 1st
July 13, 2013 MSC Gravenhurst Triathlon 1500m - 40k - 10k 1:59:02 1st
July 21, 2013 Canadian AG Nat.Tri Champs 1500m - 40k - 10k 1:50:54 1st
Aug 11th 2013 Windsor Triathlon 800m - 32k - 6k 1:14:40 1st
Sept 8th 2013 Muskoka Ironman 70.3 2k - 94k -21.1k 4:01:20 1st

2014

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
April 6, 2014 Texas 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 27:38 2:13:36 1:12:08 3:56:19 10th
May 3, 2014 St. George 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:58 2:12:40 1:12:18 3:55:07 18th
May 10, 2014 Ontario Sprint Duathlon Champs 750m - 20k - 5k 56:00 1st
May 25, 2014 Woodstock Sprint Triathlon 750m - 20k - 5k 11:14 29:11 15:58 57:33 1st
June 1, 2014 Raleigh 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 27:34 2:12:51 1:09:56 3:52:47 2nd
June 7, 2014 Binbrook Long-Sprint Triathlon 750m - 30k - 7.5k 11:02 42:53 24:47 1:19:39 1st
June 22, 2014 Syracuse 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:28 2:16:27 1:09:54 3:55:43 2nd
July 6, 2014 Ontario Sprint Tri Champs 750m - 20k - 5k 58:15 1st
July 12, 2014 Muncie 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:31 2:02:20 1:10:54 3:42:48 1st
July 20, 2014 Racine 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 27:41 2:05:17 1:09:36 3:45:55 1st
July 27, 2014 Bala Falls Long-Sprint Triathlon 750m - 30k - 7.5k 10:24 40:55 25:52 1:18:26 1st
Aug. 10th 2014 Steelhead 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 29:42 2:00:41 1:12:36 3:46:13 1st
Sept. 7th 2014 70.3 World Championship 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:42 2:04:14 1:11:21 3:46:03 4th
Sept. 13th 2014 Lakeside Sprint 750m - 20k - 5k 10:52 27:46 16:24 56:20 1st
Sept. 21st 2014 Ontario Long Course Champs 1.9k - 92.8k - 21.1k 28:45 2:01:26 1:11:35 3:44:55 1st
Nov. 1st 2014 Ironman Florida 180k - 42.2k 4:12:46 2:44:12 6:58:46 1st

2015

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
March 28, 2015 Oceanside 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:59 2:04:46 1:13:12 3:49:19 3rd
April 26, 2015 Galveston 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 28:23 2:02:25 1:12:20 3:45:39 1st
May 9, 2015 Ironhawk Duathlon 5k - 20k - 2.5k 15:46 27:29 7:57 52:14 1st
May 16, 2015 Ironman Texas 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 57:19 4:11:25 3:11:22 8:24:54 4th
June 14, 2015 Leamington Sprint Tri 750m - 20k - 5k 10:33 26:23 16:16 54:43 1st
June 21, 2015 Mont Tremblant 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:58 2:03:21 1:11:14 3:45:38 1st
July 5, 2015 Muskoka 70.3 1.9k - 94k - 21.1k 27:50 2:16:08 1:15:39 4:02:54 1st
July 19, 2015 Racine 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:21 2:03:53 1:15:46 3:49:41 1st
Aug 9th 2015 Tecumseh Triathlon 800m - 32k - 6k 13:01 40:40 21:53 1:16:35 1st
Aug 16th 2015 Ironman Mont Tremblant 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 56:27 4:40:32 3:00:37 8:42:13 5th
Oct 10th 2015 Ironman World Championship 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 1:01:10 4:35:17 2:54:41 8:36:26 14th
Nov 15th 2015 Ironman Arizona 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 54:04 4:13:38 2:47:07 7:58:22 1st

2016

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
Jan 31st 2016 Panama 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 24:35 1:55:03 1:14:48 3:38:53 1st
April 2, 2016 Oceanside 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:33 2:07:47 1:11:42 3:51:17 1st
April 10, 2016 Texas 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:57 1:58:09 1:13:09 3:40:30 1st
May 7, 2016 St. George 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 27:39 2:03:57 1:13:30 3:48:18 1st
June 26, 2016 Mont Tremblant 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:17 2:02:29 1:15:06 3:47:31 1st
July 17, 2016 Racine 70.3 N/A - 50k - 21.1k N/A 1:02:48 1:17:15 2:20:57 2nd
Aug 7th 2016 Tecumseh Triathlon 800m - 32k - 6k 15:07 42:42 21:47 1:20:49 1st
Aug 14th 2016 Wiesbaden 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:13 2:20:39 1:09:20 4:00:23 2nd
Sept 4th 2016 70.3 World Championship 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 25:41 2:06:42 1:10:34 3:47:14 9th
Oct 8th 2016 Ironman World Championship 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 56:41 4:26:35 3:17:01 8:44:49 29th
Oct 28–30th 2016 Island House Invitational Multiple Races N/A N/A N/A 3:41:18 10th
Nov 20th 2016 Ironman Arizona 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 53:45 4:04:38 2:42:31 7:44:29 1st

2017

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
January 15, 2017 Pucon 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 28:20 2:09:23 1:16:38 4:00:08 1st
March 12, 2017 Buenos Aires 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 27:19 1:59:27 1:13:10 3:42:47 1st
April 1, 2017 Oceanside 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 25:20 2:05:42 1:14:06 3:50:04 1st
May 6, 2017 St. George 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:25 2:01:24 1:12:19 3:42:31 2nd
June 3, 2017 Challenge Samorin Championship 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 24:47 1:56:04 1:14:22 3:40:03 1st
June 11, 2017 Leamington Sprint Triathlon 750m - 20k - 5k 10:41 26:48 16:24 55:10 1st
June 25, 2017 Mont Tremblant 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:21 2:01:53 1:14:01 3:46:04 1st
Aug 27th 2017 ITU World Championship 3k - 120k - 30k 40:40 2:51:12 1:45:35 5:20:36 1st
Oct 14th 2017 Ironman World Championship 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 53:41 4:14:19 2:51:53 8:04:07 2nd
Nov 19th 2017 Ironman Arizona 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 51:33 4:12:03 2:47:16 7:54:10 1st

2018

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
January 14, 2018 Pucon 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 26:51 2:01:15 1:16:25 3:48:44 1st
April 7, 2018 Oceanside 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 24:35 2:08:42 1:11:28 3:48:58 2nd
May 6, 2018 St. George 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 25:26 2:01:31 1:11:47 3:41:11 1st
June 3, 2018 Challenge Samorin Championship 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 29:05 1:58:17 1:10:49 3:44:03 1st
June 24, 2018 Mont Tremblant 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 24:15 2:02:19 1:11:23 3:40:58 1st
August 19, 2018 Ironman Mont Tremblant 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 55:07 4:28:35 2:55:51 8:24:01 2nd
October 13, 2018 Ironman World Championship 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 53:59 4:16:59 3:15:26 8:30:34 29th

2019

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
Aug 11th 2019 Tecumseh Triathlon 800m - 32k - 6k 12:11 43:36 22:31 1:19:24 1st
August 18, 2019 Ironman Mont Tremblant 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 51:58 4:15:13 2:53:58 8:05:38 2nd
September 9, 2019 Augusta 70.3 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 23:08 2:03:08 1:12:30 3:42:19 1st
October 12, 2019 Ironman World Championship 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 52:22 4:15:22 3:13:42 8:25:54 22nd
November 3, 2019 Ironman 70.3 Los Cabos 1.9k - 90k - 21.1k 25:16 2:02:34 1:13:09 3:44:06 1st

2021

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
November 6, 2021 Florida Ironman 3.8 k - 180 k - 42.2 k 58:19 4:04:30 2:40:43 7:48:50 2nd

2022

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
April, 2022 Oceanside 70.3 1.9 k - 90 k - 21.1 k 24:26 2:08:09 1:08:29 3:45:33 2nd
2022 Mont Tremblant 70.3 1.9 k - 90 k - 21.1 k 25:30 2:05:17 1:13:59 3:48:02 1st
October 8, 2022 Kona 140.6 3.8 k - 180 k - 42.2 k 52:57 4:16:31 3:17:53 8:32:27 36th
December 3, 2022 Indian Wells 70.3 1.9 k - 90 k - 21.1 k 26:53 2:03:04 1:11:01 3:45:16 4th

2023

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
May, 2023 St. George 70.3 1.9 k - 90 k - 21.1 k 26:04 2:04:58 1:13:35 3:48:20 4th

2024

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Date Race Distances Swim Bike Run Total Rank
April 8, 2024 Oceanside 70.3 1.9 k - 90 k - 21.1 k 24:36 2:06:11 1:10:40 3:46:24 1st
June 24, 2024 Mont-Tremblant 70.3 1.1 k - 90 k - 21.1 k 16:10 2:01:44 1:13:47 3:35:11 1st
July 21, 2024 Lake Placid 140.6 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 54:21 4:19:07 2:46:16 8:05:39 3rd
October 26, 2024 Ironman World Championship 3.8k - 180k - 42.2k 52:21 4:08:55 3:16:05 8:22:06 32nd

References

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  1. ^ a b "Biography". Lionel Sanders – Triathlete. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  2. ^ "Ironman Mont Tremblant Training Block Part 1". Lionel Sanders – Triathlete. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  3. ^ "2017 Ironman World Championship Results". triathlonamagazine.ca. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  4. ^ "2021 Ironman World Championship Results". https://www.ironman.com\accessdate=16 Mahy 2022.
  5. ^ "2014 Ironman 70.3 World Championships Results". Ironman.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  6. ^ "2013 Muskoka 70.3 Results". Ironman.com. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  7. ^ "Mac cross country finishes strong at CIS championships". The Silhouette. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  8. ^ "Ironman Website". Ironman.com. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  9. ^ Hichens, Liz (1 November 2014). "Sanders, Van Vlerken Win Shortened Ironman Florida". Triathlete. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  10. ^ Hichens, Liz (28 May 2017). "Tim Don Breaks Ironman World Record in Brazil". Triathlete. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  11. ^ "Biography". Lionel Sanders – Triathlete. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  12. ^ Hichens, Lziz (17 October 2017). "Patrick Lange Breaks Course Record to Earn First Ironman World Title". Triathlete.com. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  13. ^ Spencer, Donna (Oct 23, 2020). "Ironman triathlete Lionel Sanders sets Canadian record for distance cycled in an hour". The Canadian Press. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  14. ^ Spencer, Donna (Jul 19, 2021). "frodeno-and-sanders-solid-in-the-swim". Triathlon Magazine Canada. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  15. ^ Spencer, Donna (Jul 19, 2021). "Frodeno vs Sanders results: Jan takes a fall, and the record". tri247. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  16. ^ "About Lionel Sanders". lsanderstri.com. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  17. ^ "2010 Ironman Louiseville Results". Ironman.com. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  18. ^ "The near-fatal agony, ecstasy of Mac runner, aspiring Olympian". TheSpec.com. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  19. ^ "Erin and Lionel Sanders celebrate the arrival of their first child". Retrieved 25 July 2024.