Over 1,400 Athletes Converge in Cambridge, Maryland for the 2022 Qatar Airways IRONMAN Maryland, part of the VinFast IRONMAN U.S. Series

September 18, 2022

- Joe Klinedinst (Glen Rock, Pa.) and Joanne Gribler (Washington, D.C.) victorious in the Age Group race on Saturday, Sept. 17 - Father son duo, Jeff and Johnny Agar crossed the finish completing their first full-distance IRONMAN triathlon with a time of 16:55:35

CAMBRIDGE, Md. (September 18, 2022) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The coastal and scenic city of Cambridge, Md. and surrounding Dorchester County provided a stunning backdrop for the Qatar Airways IRONMAN^® Maryland race, part of the VinFast IRONMAN U.S. Series, on Saturday, Sept. 17. Over 1,400 athletes kicked off their IRONMAN journey, beginning with a 2.4-mile swim in the Choptank River before undertaking a 112-mile ride through the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and a 26.2-mile run around historic Cambridge with an unforgettable finish at Long Wharf Park at Great Marsh.

In the men’s age-group race, Joe Klinedinst from Glen Rock, Pa. competing in the M45-49 age group was the first to cross the line with an overall finishing time of 8:37:53. In the women’s race, Joanne Gribler of Washington, D.C. racing in the F30-34 age group took top honors with an overall finishing time of 9:49:32.

One of the most unforgettable and inspiring moments of the day came when father and son duo of Jeff and Johnny Agar crossed the finish line officially completing their first full-distance IRONMAN triathlon with a time of 16:55:35. Despite his Cerebral Palsy, Johnny proved exactly why he has become one of the most inspirational athletes around the IRONMAN circuit as he walked the final yards of the finish line chute with the support of his father and the cheering crowd. After years of hard work and several attempts, including the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship, Jeff and Johnny burst into tears upon hearing the coveted words “You are an IRONMAN!” at the Qatar Airways IRONMAN Maryland, part of the VinFast IRONMAN U.S. Series.

“I loved being out here and racing with everyone,” said Johnny Agar after walking across the finish. “Everyone was so positive, and it is just what I needed in my life. I can’t thank everyone enough for the support.”

“We put a tremendous amount of effort in, had some strange things happen [over the years] and positives, what we called, the ‘successful failures,” said Jeff Agar. “Some great things have happened in those successful failures, but I am incredibly proud right now.”

The 2022 Qatar Airways IRONMAN Maryland race, part of the VinFast IRONMAN U.S. Series led athletes along a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run through Cambridge and the surrounding areas. The swim took place in the Choptank River beginning at Gerry Boyle Park at Great Marsh. Once out of the water, athletes took off onto the bike, a two-loop course that winds through Dorchester County and into the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Closing out their 140.6-mile journey, athletes made their way through downtown Cambridge with an energetic finish at the historic Long Wharf Park at Great Marsh. The 2022 Qatar Airways IRONMAN Maryland race, part of the VinFast IRONMAN U.S. Series offered 55 age-group qualifying slots to the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship^® in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i taking place on Oct. 12 & 14, 2023.

Full results for the 2022 Qatar Airways IRONMAN Maryland race, part of the VinFast IRONMAN U.S. Series triathlon can be found at www.ironman.com/im-maryland-results.

IRONMAN will return to Cambridge on September 16, 2023. General registration for the 2023 event will open on October 3, 2022 and can be accessed by visiting www.ironman.com/im-maryland.

For more information on the Qatar Airways IRONMAN Maryland race, part of the VinFast IRONMAN U.S. Series triathlon, visit www.ironman.com/im-maryland. For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com. Media-related inquiries may be directed to press@ironman.com.

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The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® 70.3^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® Virtual Racing™ (VR™) Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll^® Running Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running™ Series, IRONKIDS^®, World Triathlon Championship Series, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and City2Surf^®, UTMB^® World Series events including Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail Australia™, Epic Series™ mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic^®, road cycling events including Haute Route^®, and other multisport races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. Catering to the full athlete experience, the company portfolio also includes FulGaz^® virtual cycling, the most realistic indoor riding experience connected fitness application aimed at preparing athletes for real-world events. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN^® brand and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^® by crossing finish lines around the world. Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with hundreds of events across 55+ countries. The IRONMAN Group is owned by Advance, a private, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.

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