KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii – Bainbridge Island’s own Karen Segerson competed in the 2016 Ironman World Championship on Saturday, Oct. 8. The nationally televised event takes place in Kona, Hawaii.

Segerson, 41, completed 13 Ironman events (each including a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run) to qualify for the championship event.

The Kona Ironman was made famous in 1982 when ABC’s Wide World of Sports captured race leader Julie Moss collapsing 440 yards from the finish line. Despite her attempt to crawl to the finish, she was passed just 10 yards shy of the end by competitor Kathleen McCartney.

Segerson has never collapsed herself, but she did sustain a right hand fracture two days prior to Ironman Boulder, yet successfully competed — completing the swim largely using a single-arm pull. She has raced through a windstorm at Ironman St. George, which resulted in hundreds of race participants getting rescued from the swim course. Ironman Lake Tahoe presented her with snow and subfreezing temperatures in 2013, followed by a race cancellation at the start line due to forest fire in 2014.

Despite these challenges, Segerson has never failed to finish an event.

Her racing has taken her as far abroad as Ironman Switzerland, and she has been ranked internationally as an All-World Athlete. She was a record-setting high school Scholastic All-American in swimming and she went on to swim collegiately at Washington State University. She continues to compete in masters swimming, where she contributed multiple top ten finishes to the 2014 Puget Sound Masters National Championship team. Segerson has also been a high school assistant coach for Bainbridge High’s swim team, and is currently in her third season there.

Her husband Nate is a two-time Ironman finisher, Boston Marathon qualifier and former varsity rower at the University of Washington. They have three daughters, including 9-year-old twins who are both record holders for the Bainbridge Island Swim Club and a 6-year-old who has been the youngest participant in the Pumpkin 500 swimming event.

Segerson credits her achievements to the extensive support of the Island community and the encouragement of friends and family.

“Racing at this level is a dream come true,” she said. “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude to those who have contributed to this dream. Their support is what has always carried me to the finish line, and I will give everything I have on race day to show my appreciation.”