Chelsea Sodaro

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{{Short description|American professional triathlete}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}

Chelsea Reilly Sodaro (born May 9, 1989, in San Luis Obispo, California) is an American professional triathlete. She won the Ironman World Championship in 2022.{{cite web | url=https://people.com/sports/chelsea-sodaro-wins-ironman-kona-world-title-18-months-after-giving-birth-to-daughter/ | title=Chelsea Sodaro Wins Ironman Kona Title 18 Months After Giving Birth }}{{cite web | url=https://www.triathlete.com/culture/news/hawaii-ironman-world-championships-2022-results-kona-rookie-american-chelsea-sodaro-rewrites-history/ | title=Hawaii Ironman World Championships 2022 Results: Kona Rookie American Chelsea Sodaro Rewrites History | date=October 7, 2022 }}

Background

After graduating from Davis High School in Davis, California, Sodaro attended University of California, Berkeley on an athletic scholarship. While at Cal, she earned All-American honors as a senior in cross-country and track. She ended her college career with a ninth-place finish in the women's 5000 meters at the 2012 NCAA Championships{{cite web | url=https://calbears.com/news/2012/6/9/207752438 | title=Chelsea Reilly Takes 9th in 5000 Meters }}

As a professional runner, Sodaro won two national titles. She won the USA 10 km road championships in 2012, in her debut at that distance.{{cite web | url=https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20808195/chelsea-reilly-takes-usa-10k-crown/ | title=Chelsea Reilly Takes USA 10K Crown | date=October 8, 2012 }} At 2013 USATF Indoor Championships, she won the 3000m race, edging out Emily Infeld.{{cite web | url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2013/03/2013-usa-indoor-track-and-field-meet-day-1-mid-d-and-distance-recap/ | title=2013 USA Indoor Track and Field Meet - Day 1 Mid-d and Distance Recap - Chelsea Reilly and Will Leer Win 3k Titles | date=March 3, 2013 }} She was coached by fellow Cal alum and Olympian Magdalena Boulet.

In 2017, she transitioned from running to triathlon.{{cite web | url=https://efocus.news/chelsea-sodaro-wikipedia-age-coach-and-ironman-champion | title=Triathlon Chelsea Sodaro Wikipedia Age & Coach of Ironman Champion 2022 }}

Triathlon

In October 2022, Sodaro won the Ironman World Championship at Kona, Hawaii, becoming the first rookie world champion since Chrissie Wellington and first American woman to win since 1996. It was the second Ironman distance triathlon of her career.

References

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