A 21-year-old man made history as the first ever athlete with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon

• 21-year-old Chris Nikic became the first ever athlete with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon on Saturday.
• Nikic swam 2.4 miles, cycled 112 miles, and ran 26.2 miles in a time of 16 hours 46 minutes and 9 seconds at the Ironman Florida competition in Panama City Beach.
• "Goal set and achieved," he wrote on Instagram after. "Time to set a new and BIGGER Goal for 2021."
• The Ironman Triathlon organization said it was "beyond inspired" by Nikic's feat, and praised him for creating opportunities around for others around the world through his journey.

21-year-old Chris Nikic acheived a feat most people could only dream of on Saturday by finishing an Ironman triathlon, and in doing so became the first ever athlete with Down Syndrome to complete a race over that distance.

Nikic swam 2.4 miles, cycled 112 miles, and ran 26.2 miles in a time of 16 hours 46 minutes and 9 seconds at the Ironman Florida competition in Panama City Beach, finishing 14 minutes before the cut-off time.

"Goal set and achieved," the Maitland-born athlete wrote on Instagram after. "Time to set a new and BIGGER Goal for 2021. Whatever it is the strategy is the same. 1 percent better every day."

Nikic and his father, Nik, devised the "1 percent better challenge" in order to keep motivated during training, while helping to promote Down syndrome awareness.

"We are beyond inspired, and your accomplishment is a defining moment in Ironman history that can never be taken away from you," the Ironman Triathlon organization, which streamed the final part of Nikic's race on its Facebook page, tweeted.

"The opportunities you have created for others around the world through this journey you embarked upon, is immeasurable. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your remarkable life story and we can't wait to see what you achieve next."

"To Chris, this race was more than just a finish line and celebration of victory," Nik Nikic said in a statement. "Ironman has served as his platform to become one step closer to his goal of living a life of inclusion and leadership."

Nikic now hopes to qualify for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in the USA as a triathlete.

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