>> Cheering fans hugs in the dark with the first person with Down syndrome to ever attempt and
complete an Ironman triathlon. >> This is Chris Nikic.
>> Being the first person with Down syndrome is a great feeling. Who became
the first person with Down syndrome to compete and finish the Ironman.
Just how grueling is it? >> It was 105 degrees out
here on this bike. I get off the bike and I take my first couple of steps. I'm like, this hurts.
>> Hurting, I'm hurting. >> Does that answer
your question? Yeah, it's grueling. >> Here's raw footage of Chris competing.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> The thing is, his journey was beyond tough. >> He couldn't walk until four years old, or eat
solid food until five, enduring countless childhood surgeries.
>> If you know anyone who has competed in an Ironman competition, you understand the drive, the
grip, the determination and the discipline through rigorous training with one goal, finishing.
So Chris Nikic swam 2.4 miles, biked another 112 miles, and completed a 26.2 marathon in
Panama City Beach. In the build up to the competition, he was a relentless trainer
with his guide, Dan Grieb. >> Hey guys this is Dan Grieb.
I'm here with Chris Nikic, who is now an Ironman.
>> Who has competed in 15 Ironman competitions himself.
>> About me, I have a Down syndrome accent, and I speak like I am from
the deep South. >> Nikic would put in posts the 1%
challenge, which serves as the motivation for
improving each and every day. >> Everything is harder for me to learn.
It took me 6 months to learn how to ride a bike. At 5 months, I had open heart surgery.
At 3 years, I needed a walker to walk. At 12, my neck was too weak to do Disney rides. At 17,
I had four major ear surgeries. >>
The two steps are these, you get 1% better for 30 days and
help someone do the same simplistic messaging for an impactful outcome.
>> No excuses. I could use my obstacles as an excuse to limit me. I don't do excuses,
and my coaches won't take them. >> During the race, Chris suffered an
attack by ants during a nutrition stop and fell off his bike a couple times. With blood
dripping from his knee, he jumped right back on in a show of true sportsmanship and grit.
In the end, Nikic completed the Ironman in 16 hours 46 minutes and 9 seconds,
14 minutes under the 17-hour cutoff time. Goal set and achieved, he wrote on his Instagram.
Billie Jean King congratulated Nick on his crossing of the Ironman finish
line. Chris's achievement landed him on the Guinness World Records list.
It's an honor to welcome Chris as the first athlete with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman,
and I look forward to seeing what more is in store from this remarkable young man,
said Craig Glenday Guinness's editor in chief. After all this, his message remains constant,
all about awareness and inclusion.
Awareness for Down syndrome and Special Olympics. Inclusion for all of us, with all of you.
After his record setting achievement, Nikic will focus on competing in the 2022 Special
Olympics USA Games and continuing to raise money for Special Olympics, Down syndrome,
and RODS, racing for orphans with Down syndrome, through his platform.
Congratulations to Chris, Dan Grieb, and the entire Nikic family.