First Athlete with Down Syndrome to Finish Ironman!

Chris Nikic is a 21 year-old male Special Olympic Athlete. Chris is from Florida and is the first person with Down Syndrome to finish an Ironman Triathlon, which was held in Panama City, Florida.

An Ironman Triathlon is a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. These are all done consecutively in one day. He has undergone multiple surgeries for various ailments starting at five months old, but he never gave up. Doctors and experts advised him not to move forward with his plans to participate, but he continued with his lifetime goal to compete.

Way to go Chris! You are an inspiration to athletes all over the world!

-Jamie Lazaroff, Self Advocate Coordinator