Celebrities Who Are Kona IRONMAN World Championship Finishers

Written by
Michael Nystrom
From professional athletes to reality television stars, several well-known celebrities have found Kona's mysticism and challenging conditions hard to resist. These 10 celebs not only raced at the IRONMAN World Championship but crossed the finish line and heard Mike Reilly tell them they're an IRONMAN as well.
Sean Astin
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Famous for starring in Rudy, The Goonies and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Sean Astin will be toeing the line at the 2015 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona. He finished IRONMAN 70.3 Vineman this year and has been posting training updates on social media.
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Sunny Garcia
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Charismatic professional surfer and Hawaiian local, Sunny Garcia will be racing at the 2015 IRONMAN World Championships in support of Smile Train—a nonprofit that raises money for children with cleft palates. Garcia began running and cycling as a warm up before surfing competitions, and it eventually led to him competing at Lavaman and the XTERRA World Championship.
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Apolo Ohno
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Another "Got Chocolate Milk?" athlete, Apolo Ohno completed the 2014 IRONMAN World Championship with the time of 9:52. One of the fastest celebrities to compete in Kona, Ohno channeled his Olympic competitive nature and training habits to excel in his first full-distance race.
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Gordon Ramsay
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Known more for his antics in Hell's Kitchen and less for his prowess on the triathlon course, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay competed in the 2013 IRONMAN World Championship and finished with a time of 14:04. Ramsay planned to compete again in 2014, but an Achilles injury forced him to withdraw. He will tentatively be competing in Kona this year (2015).
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Hines Ward
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He had a stellar NFL career as a Pittsburgh Steeler, but Hines Ward also began triathlon training after retiring from professional football in 2011. He raced in the 2013 IRONMAN World Championship on the "Got Chocolate Milk?" team coached by legendary triathlete Paula Newby-Fraser. He finished in Kona with a time of 13:08.
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Tony Kanaan
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Legendary IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan is not just an Indianapolis 500 winner; he's also an IRONMAN World Championship finisher. He competed in Kona in 2011 with a finish time of 12:52. An advocate for cycling and fitness, Kanaan's on local training rides when he's not at the racetrack.
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Tara Costa
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The star of Biggest Loser: Season 7, Tara Costa lost 155 pounds before undertaking the 2011 IRONMAN World Championship. She finished with a decent time of 13:56, but stirred up controversy along the way. Many triathlon purists believed the IRONMAN World Championship should be open only to those who earn it, not to those who get a charity slot, like Costa did. At the very least, she was an inspiration to other athletes who battle with weight issues.
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Jeff Conine
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The first MLB player to compete in Kona, Jeff Conine finished the 2008 IRONMAN World Championship in 14:43. Conine was a member of two World Series Championship teams and played 17 years in the major leagues.
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Ryan Sutter
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Also known as the first-ever winner of The Bachelorette, Ryan Sutter competed in his first triathlon as a celebrity at the 2004 IRONMAN World Championship. Sutter, a Colorado firefighter by trade, finished with a respectable time of 11:38.
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Darryl Haley
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At 6'6", 325-pounds and considered the biggest athlete to finish Kona, Darryl Haley crossed the finish line of the 1995 IRONMAN World Championship in a time of 16:44. Darryl played six seasons as an offensive lineman in the National Football League.
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