Hungarian wins world’s most enduring triathlon race

Hungary's Ferenc Szõnyi won the world's longest triathlon race, the Double Deka World Challenge 2010 in Monterrey, Mexico, swimming, bicycling and running a distance of over 4,500 kilometers.

Organized by the International Ultra Trithlon Association (IUTA), the Double Deka (that is 20-time) triathlon race involves 76 kilometers of swimming, 3,600 kilometers of bicycle riding and 884 kilometers of running – more than 88 times the distance of the Olympic triathlon distance. Ferenc Szõnyi, who won the 10-times triathlon race with a world record last year, completed the Deka race in 481 hours, 54 minutes and 10 seconds, some nine and half hours ahead of Germany’s Uwe Schiwon and over 16 hours before third-placed Greger Sundin of Sweden.

Another Hungarian competitor, Antal Vöneki finished 4th in the Deka (ten-time) Ironman race – a performance good enough for him to win this year’s World Cup at this distance. The third Hungarian athlete at this competition that lasted almost three weeks, József Rokob, came in 7th in the Deka Ironman race.