Special Olympics athlete Chris Nikic crossed the finish line in November to become the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon.

An Ironman consists of a 112-mile (180 km) cycling, a 2.4-mile swim and a 26.2-mile run. While this is an amazing accomplishment for any human being, it is especially unique because the 21-year-old Nikic has Down syndrome. And with his participation in the Panama City Ironman, he entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the first person in history with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman.

His road to this amazing and inspiring accomplishment has been anything but easy. Nikic had open-heart surgery when he was just 5 months old. He needed a walker when he was 3 and did not even walk on his own until he was 4 years old.

Throughout his childhood, he and his parents were told that he could not do many things that other kids could do. For years they listened and accepted these limits.

Until in 2017, he set his sights on completing competing in triathlons. His training started with one pushup. However, Nikic and his father Nik Nikic developed the “1 percent better challenge” to stay motivated during training. The idea is to promote Down syndrome awareness while achieving 1 percent improvement each day, according to Nikic’s website.

Eventually, for the year leading up to the Ironman, Nikic trained four to eight hours each day along with his training partner, Dan Grieb.

“To Chris, this race was more than just a finish line and celebration of victory,” his father said. “Ironman has served as his platform to become one step closer to his goal of living a life of inclusion and leadership.”

Nikic’s amazing perseverance and attitude is an example for not only children with Down syndrome and other special abilities but to all kids around the world. Nikic is now focused on trying to inspire as many people as he can with his story which he is sharing through public speaking, presentations, and a book he is writing with his father.

He also has his sights set on competing in the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games and continuing to raise money for Special Olympics, Down syndrome and RODS (Racing for Orphans with Down Syndrome). (SD-Agencies)

“Ironman has served as his platform to become one step closer to his goal of living a life of inclusion and leadership.”

— Nik Nikic, father of Chris Nikic