Mark Allen (triathlete)
{{short description|American triathlete}}
{{About|the triathlete|the snooker player|Mark Allen (snooker player)}}
{{MedalTableTop|name=Mark Allen|medals=
{{Medal|Sport | Men's triathlon}}
{{Medal|Country | the {{USA}} }}
{{Medal|Competition|ITU World Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold| 1989 Avignon | Individual}}
{{Medal|Competition|Ironman World Championship}}
{{Medal|Gold| 1995 | Men's race }}
{{Medal|Gold| 1993 | Men's race }}
{{Medal|Gold| 1992 | Men's race }}
{{Medal|Gold| 1991 | Men's race }}
{{Medal|Gold| 1990 | Men's race }}
{{Medal|Gold| 1989 | Men's race }}
{{Medal|Silver| 1987 | Men's race }}
{{Medal|Silver| 1986 | Men's race }}
{{Medal|Bronze| 1983 | Men's race }}
}}
Mark Allen (born January 12, 1958, in Glendale, California) is an American triathlete and six-time Ironman Triathlon World Champion.
Education
He graduated from UC San Diego, where he was an All-American swimmer, with a degree in biology.{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sandiego/access/1243152631.html?dids=1243152631:1243152631&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+06%2C+1997&author=Don+Norcross&pub=The+San+Diego+Union+-+Tribune&desc=Breaking+Away+%7C+Mark+Allen+revels+in+his+retirement&pqatl=google|title=Mark Allen revels in his retirement|last=Norcross|first=Don|date=March 6, 1997|website=sandiegouniontribune.com|accessdate=May 30, 2010}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Career
After competing and losing in the Ironman Triathlon Championships six times (often to Dave Scott), Allen emerged victorious in 1989, winning one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world.
This was the first of six Ironman victories for Allen, the last coming in 1995 at age 37, making him the oldest winner of the event at that time. He has also excelled at the Olympic distance, winning the sport's inaugural World Championships in 1989 in Avignon, France,{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hrUTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BJADAAAAIBAJ&pg=4502,1720539&dq=mark-allen+triathlon&hl=en|title=Allen wins world triathlon|date=August 8, 1989|website=nst.com.my|accessdate=May 30, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701064305/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hrUTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BJADAAAAIBAJ&pg=4502,1720539&dq=mark-allen+triathlon&hl=en|archive-date=July 1, 2016|url-status=dead}} by more than a minute. He was undefeated in 10 trips to the Nice International Championships,{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/sport/the-fitness-zone/3749404/Good-luck-don-t-forget-the-Helmet|title=Good luck- don't forget the helmet|last=Gibbs|first=Peter|date=May 28, 2010|website=stuff.co.nz|accessdate=May 30, 2010|location=New Zealand}} and from 1988 to 1990 he had a winning streak of 21 races.
Over the course of his racing career, which ended in 1996, he maintained a 90% average in top-three finishes. He was named Triathlete of the Year six times by Triathlete magazine, and in 1997 Outside magazine dubbed him The World's Fittest Man. Allen was inducted into the Ironman Triathlon Hall of Fame in 1997. He has also been inducted into the USAT Hall of Fame and the ITU Hall of Fame.
Allen has summarized his career in four characters: "1-6-21-infinity".{{Cite web|url=http://1621infinity.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827043506/https://1621infinity.com/|url-status=dead|title=1-6-21-infinity is the greatest legacy in the history of triathlon. Can you guess what it stands for? If you can, you win a weekend of coaching with Mark Allen at your home.|archive-date=August 27, 2017|website=1621infinity.com}} "1" is for his victory in the first official triathlon World Championship. "6" is for the six times he won the Ironman. 21 stands for his two season run of 21 straight victories, along the way defeating every one of the top 50 triathletes in the world. "Infinity" represents his acknowledgement by ESPN{{Cite web|url=https://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Allen_Greatest_Endurance_Athlete__3263.html/http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Allen_Greatest_Endurance_Athlete__3263.html|title=Allen 'Greatest Endurance Athlete'|website=Slowtwitch.com}} as "The Greatest Endurance Athlete of All Time."
Allen owns and operates Mark Allen Coaching,{{cite web|url=http://www.markallencoaching.com|title=markallencoaching|website=markallencoaching.com}} a global online triathlon coaching concern.
Results
| class="wikitable"
!YEAR !RACE !POSITION !SWIM !BIKE !RUN !RESULT |
| 1995
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 1st |align="center"| 51:50 |align="center"| 4:46:35 |align="center"| 2:42:09 |
| 1993
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 1st |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |
| 1992
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 1st |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| 8:09:08 |
| 1991
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 1st |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |
| 1990
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 1st |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |
| 1989
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 1st |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |
| 1988
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 5th |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| 8:43:22 |
| 1987
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 2nd |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |
| 1986
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 2nd |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| 8:36:04 |
| 1984
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 5th |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| 9:35:02 |
| 1983
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| 3rd |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| 9:21:06 |
| 1982
| Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US |align="center"| DNF |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |align="center"| --- |
- DNF - Did not finish
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://markallencoaching.com/ markallencoaching.com]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC2O-BiPRDE/ Video Of The 1989 Triathlon World Championships]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150205162703/http://athletego.com/2013/07/22/markallen/ Interview]
{{Footer Ironman Triathlon World Champions men}}
{{Footer World Champions Triathlon Men}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Mark}}
Category:American male triathletes
Category:Ironman world champions