Scunthorpe-based Management Accountant Gemma Scott has earned a place in the Ironman World Championships taking place in Hawaii in October.
She’ll have to swim 2.4 miles in the Pacific and then enter Hawaii’s lava field to cycle 112 miles and run a marathon, one after the other in 35-degree heat and 90% humidity – and complete all three within 17 hours.
Gemma, who works at the 2 Sisters food factory in Scunthorpe earns a place in the event on the back of her performance after an Ironman competition in Nice. Only a select few people in each age grouping get the chance to take a slot, depending on their finish ranking.
Before competing in the Ironman competitions, Gemma used to run, competing in Marathons all over the world, her first having been in London Marathon in 2012. She progressed to triathlons in 2017. It began as a way of raising money for Worldwide Cancer Research and it escalated into much more. Over the last 10 years she has raised over £15k for this charity.
She said: “I am incredibly proud and grateful for securing a slot to the World Championships. It is the pinnacle of the sport and an opportunity of a lifetime. To be racing against the best in the world is such an honour, something I did not ever expect to happen!”
With only a few weeks to go, there’s a lot of preparation to be done. Follow Gemma’s progress go to her website www.littlegemswimsbikesruns.com and her Instagram handle is gemhay182.
