Ironman California triathlon takes over Sacramento. How some athletes performed
LIVE AT 10 P.M. IT FEELS I CAN’T DESCRIBE IT. MY WHOLE BODY IS VIBRATING. IT’S SUCH A WEIRD SENSATION. LIKE ELATION, BUT JUST COMPLETE EXHAUSTION. AND I’VE BEEN TRYING TO DO AN IRON MAN SINCE. AND THIS. I FINALLY DID IT. IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING, SO I JUST TRIED TO THINK ABOUT THAT EVERY MILE THAT I’M HERE AND I SHOULD BE THANKFUL. TONIGHT, ATHLETES CELEBRATING THE COMPLETION OF CALIFORNIA IRONMAN AS DOZENS STILL CROSS THE FINISH LINE MORE THAN 12 HOURS AFTER THE RACE BEGAN. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AT TEN. I’M ANDREA FLORES AND I’M CECIL HANNIBAL KCRA 3’S. CORTEZ SAID THE FINISH LINE WITH THE LATEST. IRON MAN. THOSE FOUR WORDS DON’T MARK JUST THE FINISH LINE. IT’S NEVER EASY. I DON’T CARE, YOU KNOW, IT’S JUST A LONG RACE. BUT MONTHS OF GRIT, SWEAT AND TEARS FOR 140 MILES, AN IRONMAN CALIFORNIA. I’VE KIND OF BEEN TRAINING FOR THIS SINCE LAST JULY, A 2.4 MILE SWIM WITH AN AMERICAN AND SACRAMENTO RIVERS, A 112 MILE BIKE RIDE AND A MARATHON, ALL IN 17 HOURS AFTER AMERICAN RIVER MORE THAN 2700 ATHLETES COMPETING FOR 47 STATES AND 53 COUNTRIES. ARGENTINA. HOW LONG WAS THE TRIP? I TOOK US LIKE 22 HOURS, 22 HOURS? YEAH, FOUR FLIGHTS. AND NO MATTER THE LANGUAGE IN MILES, ALL OF IT LETTING OUT A SIGH OF RELIEF. GREAT JOB. JENNIFER DILIBERTO, A SACRAMENTO ATHLETE, WAS THE TOP WOMAN IN HER AGE GROUP FOR HER SETBACK BECAME A COMEBACK. WE DID THIS TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY BECAUSE WE BOTH WERE HIT BY CARS AND DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS TOGETHER. HE’S STILL MISSING HIS TEETH. IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING, SO I JUST TRIED TO THINK ABOUT THAT EVERY MILE THAT I’M HERE AND I SHOULD BE THANKFUL BECAUSE AFTER ALL THE TRAINING. EVERY MEDAL TELLS A STORY. I MAKE THIS FOR MY KIDS, FOR MY WIFE. IT’S SO HAPPY. SO HAPPY. OF THE SUPERHUMANS WHO ARE DEEMED. I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST BEER I’VE HAD IN ABOUT FULL BEER AND PROBABLY OVER A YEAR. SO. AND HOW DOES IT FEEL DRINKING THAT NOW AS AN IRONMAN? IT FEELS EVEN BETTER. I THINK HE DESERVES IT. I MEAN, ALL THESE ATHLETES COMPETING SINCE SEVEN IN THE MORNING. SO KUDOS TO HIM FOR HAVING A BEER FOR ONE. BUT YOU KNOW, THE ATMOSPHERE HERE IS ELECTRIC. IT’S SO INSPIRING TO SEE THESE ATHLETES, YOU KNOW, TRAIN FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS. ALL THE SACRIFICE AND DAYS LEADING UP TO THIS ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT. LIVE FROM SACRAMENTO, CORTEZ KC
Ironman California triathlon takes over Sacramento. How some athletes performed
Updated: 7:24 AM PDT Oct 20, 2025
Ironman California unfolded in Sacramento, with athletes embarking on a challenging 140.6-mile triathlon that began early Sunday morning. The annual event kicked off at 7 a.m. with participants diving into the American and Sacramento rivers for a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride on a flat course leading to the Delta. The final leg of was a marathon run, taking athletes to Capitol Mall.Scott Coombs from Vancouver, British Columbia, was the first athlete to cross the finish line, completing the triathlon in eight hours, 16 minutes, and 19 seconds. This marked Coombs’ first Ironman competition.Jennifer Diliberto from Sacramento was the first woman to finish, completing the race in nine hours, 38 minutes, and nine seconds. Diliberto shared that her achievement was particularly meaningful, as she had been hit by a car and broke her hip six years ago, making her first Ironman finish extra special.KCRA 3’s Michelle Bandur, who has competed in the event multiple times, was on a boat as the athletes began their first swim. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Ironman California unfolded in Sacramento, with athletes embarking on a challenging 140.6-mile triathlon that began early Sunday morning.
The annual event kicked off at 7 a.m. with participants diving into the American and Sacramento rivers for a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride on a flat course leading to the Delta. The final leg of was a marathon run, taking athletes to Capitol Mall.
Scott Coombs from Vancouver, British Columbia, was the first athlete to cross the finish line, completing the triathlon in eight hours, 16 minutes, and 19 seconds. This marked Coombs’ first Ironman competition.
Jennifer Diliberto from Sacramento was the first woman to finish, completing the race in nine hours, 38 minutes, and nine seconds. Diliberto shared that her achievement was particularly meaningful, as she had been hit by a car and broke her hip six years ago, making her first Ironman finish extra special.
KCRA 3’s Michelle Bandur, who has competed in the event multiple times, was on a boat as the athletes began their first swim.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel