She treads the asphalt, splits the water as well as the air, and challenges preconceived ideas.
At 35 years of age, Jade Kingdom is the first woman with Down syndrome to officially complete a sprint triathlon, i.e. 750 meters of swimming, 20 kilometers of cycling, and 5 kilometers of running. This has earned the triathlete a place in the 2022 edition of the world-famous Guinness World Records. She completed this triathlon on August 7, 2021, in London in 2 hours, 39 minutes, and 55 seconds, and she has recently received the official certificate of the Guinness World Records from its editor Craig Glenday.
Kingdom was inspired to embark on this adventure by the example of Chris Nikic, an American triathlete who also has Down syndrome and who has completed an IRONMAN® triathlon. She told the Guinness World Records website, “I stumbled across Chris Nikic training for his IRONMAN® attempt, and that was a big turning point. Chris’ motto is to get 1% better every day, and that’s what I employed in my day-to-day life and training.”
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It was a doubly demanding challenge for Kingdom, since she had never practiced intense sports and because of her health conditions; she suffers from respiratory problems as well as hypothyroidism, which often causes weight gain. Under the watchful eye of her trainer and the encouragement of her family, Kingdom began training assiduously, with two swimming, cycling, and running sessions per week.
Alongside the sporting challenge, the triathlete raised £20,000 for North Devon Hospice, a facility that supports people affected by life-threatening illness. "The more the fundraising total climbed, the more determined it made me to succeed," she said.
And succeed, she did. She told Guinness that her goal went beyond the personal achievement and the fundraising: “I broke this record to inspire others, disability or not. Anyone can achieve anything!”
