First Ironman with Down syndrome becomes first to run world’s top six marathons

Chris Nikic, the athlete with Down syndrome who made history by completing the Ironman triathlon in 2020, has made history once again by becoming the first person with Down syndrome to run all six of the world’s top marathons.

The Guinness Book of World Records reported that Nikic had earned his Six Star medal by completing the Tokyo Marathon in March. Runners earn a Six Star Medal by completing marathons in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York.

“I love running by Buckingham Palace,” Nikic said of the London Marathon. “My favorite part of the London Marathon and the Boston Marathon was going on a date before and after the races. And the landmarks! Everything here is fun.”

Since completing the Ironman, Nikic has made numerous records; he was the first person with Down syndrome to run the Boston and New York City marathons, as well as the first athlete with Down syndrome to get an official sponsorship. In 2021, he won the ESPN Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, and in 2022, he completed the Ironman triathlon world championship, which is held in Kona, Hawaii. His motto — 1% better — has since become famous: each day, he works to do just 1% better than he did the day before. It has helped him to continue breaking boundaries… not just for him, but for other people with disabilities like him, too.

“It feels good to inspire my friends,” he said. “They were a bit shocked in the beginning when they heard about my record, but they were all inspired.”

READ: Man with Down syndrome finds purpose and community with CrossFit

His father, Nik Nikic, said that it has been an uphill battle just to ensure that Chris, and other people with intellectual disabilities, are included.

“Chris’s major success in his life is about how many people he inspires. How many people change their lives as a result of seeing him, and then believing in their own abilities to achieve greatness,” he said, but added, “We have found enormous resistance in the world of sport. Months of fighting and negotiations just to allow Chris to run in the Ironman. Currently everything is a fight.”

He added, “We need more people and powerful organizations to ask the question: how is it that, in 2024, a person with an intellectual impairment is being viewed as less than human? Why can’t they even be included as a category, unlike every other human on earth? People think it’s a small group, but it’s the biggest minority group in the world.”

The next goal Nikic wants to take on is an ultramarathon; while lengths can vary, to be classified as an ultramarathon, a race must be at least 31 miles, compared to the 26 miles in a marathon. “If anybody in the world can do it, it’s Chris,” Nik said.

Rhonda Vetere, Nikic’s guide, will be there every step of the way, too. “There are a lot of emotions because it’s not fair. These guys are not just out there running, they are doing more than that,” she said. “It’s not just fun: we are making a change in the world and we are dedicated to it.”

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