FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
World Record Holder, Endurance Sport Pioneer Chris Nikic To Run
2024 Grandma's Marathon
Will Also Make Appearances Promoting 1% Better Challenge
(DULUTH, MINN.) --- 2-time ESPY award winner and Guiness world record
holder Chris Nikic will be at the starting line of the 2024 Grandma's
Marathon, the organization announced today.
Nikic was born with Down syndrome and was unable to walk well until age 4,
but recently he became the first person with Down Syndrome to complete each
of the World Marathon Majors (New York City, Boston, Chicago, Berlin,
London, and Tokyo) and earn the coveted Abbott Six Star medal.
In 2020, before completing any of his running-only marathons, Nikic became
the first person in the world to ever complete an Ironman Triathlon - that
competition consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile
run.
Nikic beat his own time two years later at the 2022 World Championships,
and that mark of 16 hours, 31 minutes still stands as an official Guiness
world record.
After accomplishing a goal that once seemed out-of-reach, Nikic co-wrote a
book with his father, Nik, titled 1% Better: Reaching My Full Potential and
How You Can Too.
The book chronicles Nikic's journey from childhood to his teenage years,
when after high school he was an admitted "overweight, out-of-shape"
18-year-old. As he slowly developed an affinity for exercise, Nikic also
slowly changed his perception of what was possible in his life.
"That's when he wrote on the wall that he was going to be a ‘world champ',"
his father Nik said. "We didn't dismiss what he was telling us as
impossible, we took it to heart and believed him. Then, we got to work
helping him achieve that goal."
Chris will speak at the Essentia Health Fitness Expo at 12:00 p.m. on
Friday, June 21, and Nik will follow that at 1:00 p.m. as a guest for a
panel discussion on the inclusion of neurodivergent and disabled athletes
in endurance sporting events like Grandma's Marathon. Both presentations
are free and open to the public.
The Nikic's will also be visiting Northwood Children's Services west campus
on Thursday, June 20, with Chris set to speak to the kids and lead them
through the "1% Better Challenge."
"We're honored to have Chris as part of our 2024 Grandma's Marathon
weekend," Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider said. "We
met Chris and his dad two years ago in Denver, and I don't think there was
a dry eye in the place after Chris had given his presentation. He's exactly
the type of person we want at our starting line, and we're excited to
continue the conversation about how those doors can be opened to other
athletes like Chris."
Down syndrome is a chromosome disorder caused by an extra chromosome 21,
which prompted the creation of the Runner 321 initiative aiming to welcome
more neurodivergent athletes into endurance sports. On race day in Duluth,
Chris will wear race bib No. 321 as a symbol of that initiative.
ABOUT GRANDMA'S MARATHON
Grandma's Marathon began in 1977 when a group of local runners planned a
scenic road race from Two Harbors to Duluth, Minnesota. After seeing just
150 participants that year, the race weekend has now grown into one of the
largest in the United States and welcomes more than 20,000 participants for
its three-race event each June.
The race got its name from the Duluth-based group of famous Grandma's
Restaurants, the first major sponsor of the marathon. In addition to the
26.2-mile race, the organization has now added the Garry Bjorklund Half
Marathon and William A. Irvin 5K to its weekend offerings.
As the popularity of Grandma's Marathon has grown, our mission has stayed
the same - to organize, promote, and deliver annual events and programs
that cultivate running, educational, social, and charitable opportunities
to our communities.
Grandma's Marathon-Duluth, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit
organization with a nine-person, full-time staff and a 17-member Board of
Directors.
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