Paula Newby-Fraser
Personal information
Born2 June 1962 (1962-06-02) (age 61)
Harare, Southern Rhodesia
Medal record
Representing  Zimbabwe
Women's triathlon
Ironman World Championship
Gold medal – first place 1986 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1988 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1989 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1991 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1992 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1993 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1994 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1996 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1990 Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1985 Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Individual

Paula Newby-Fraser (born 2 June 1962 in Harare) is an Ironman triathlete and duathlete.

Biography

Newby-Fraser was born in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and raised in South Africa, where she was a nationally ranked swimmer as a child. She won the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii 8 times: 1986, 1988–1989, 1991–1994, and 1996. Because of her unprecedented winning streak, she is also referred to as "The Queen of Kona".

Over 12 years, she won 21 of 26 Ironman races she entered around the globe, and dozens of shorter races as well.[1]

Newby-Fraser won 24 Ironman races overall between 1986 and 2002. In the 1990s, she also competed in long distance duathlons like the PowerMan Zofingen in Switzerland and the 1990 World Duathon Championships in Palm Springs, USA. She defeated Liz Downing.

Among numerous other awards, the United States Sports Academy named her as one of the top five professional women athletes of the last 25 years (1972–1997). Paula Newby-Fraser held the Ironman Women's world record of 8:50:28, until 2008-07-13, when Yvonne van Vlerken of the Netherlands posted a time of 8:45:48. Newby-Fraser is regarded as an icon for the Ironman distance in triathlon.

In 1991, Newby-Fraser appeared with the cycling master John Howard, in John Howard's Lessons In Cycling video produced by New & Unique Videos of San Diego, California. Newby-Fraser demonstrated the cycling technique called "The Hot Stop".

John Howard instructs Paula Newby-Fraser, Encinitas, California, 1991
Newby-Fraser demonstrates road racing techniques in John Howard's Lessons in Cycling videotape, Encinitas, California, 1991

Later in her career, Newby-Fraser began running ultramarathons, which are running races of 50 km or more. At the Ridgecrest High Desert 50k in April 1997, she won with a new course record of 4 hours and 6 minutes.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Ken McAlpine (6 October 1997). "Ironwoman". CNN.
  2. ↑ "Staff - Paula Newby-Fraser". Multisports. Archived from the original on 18 April 1997. Retrieved 7 April 2007.
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