Natascha Badmann
Encyclopedia
Natascha Badmann is a professional triathlete
from Switzerland
and was the first European woman to win the Ironman Triathlon
World Championships. She won the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005.
Natascha works in Switzerland as a social worker, and speaks German, English, French, and Italian. She currently lives in Winznau
, Switzerland with her husband Toni and daughter Anastasia. Her daughter Anastasia was born days before she turned 18. Nicknamed the "Swiss Miss", Badmann won her first Ironman World Championship at the age of 29, when her daughter was already 13 years old. Her husband, coach and nutritionist is Toni Hasler.
At the 2007 Hawaii Ironman, Badmann hit a cone on the bike leg and injured her shoulder and collarbone. While she wanted to continue the race, Hasler convinced her to drop out to prevent further injury. At the same race in 2006, stomach problems nearly caused her to drop out again. Early into the run, Badmann stopped and threw up. Struggling to continue, she began to walk. In a dramatic moment with tremendous support from cheering fans, Badmann, crying, began jogging. She finished 10th with a personal-worst marathon time of 3:27:54.
Though she finished second on the course of the 2004 Ironman Triathlon
World Championships, Badmann is considered the winner of the race due to the disqualification of the initial winner, Germany's Nina Kraft
, after Kraft admitted to using the banned performance enhancer EPO
.
Badmann is known for her dominating ability on the bike leg of the triathlon, and her positive attitude (Badmann is often seen smiling and actively responding to spectators throughout much of the triathlon).
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and was the first European woman to win the Ironman Triathlon
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
World Championships. She won the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005.
Natascha works in Switzerland as a social worker, and speaks German, English, French, and Italian. She currently lives in Winznau
Winznau
Winznau is a municipality in the district of Gösgen in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.-Geography:Winznau has an area, , of . Of this area, or 36.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 40.1% is forested...
, Switzerland with her husband Toni and daughter Anastasia. Her daughter Anastasia was born days before she turned 18. Nicknamed the "Swiss Miss", Badmann won her first Ironman World Championship at the age of 29, when her daughter was already 13 years old. Her husband, coach and nutritionist is Toni Hasler.
At the 2007 Hawaii Ironman, Badmann hit a cone on the bike leg and injured her shoulder and collarbone. While she wanted to continue the race, Hasler convinced her to drop out to prevent further injury. At the same race in 2006, stomach problems nearly caused her to drop out again. Early into the run, Badmann stopped and threw up. Struggling to continue, she began to walk. In a dramatic moment with tremendous support from cheering fans, Badmann, crying, began jogging. She finished 10th with a personal-worst marathon time of 3:27:54.
Though she finished second on the course of the 2004 Ironman Triathlon
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
World Championships, Badmann is considered the winner of the race due to the disqualification of the initial winner, Germany's Nina Kraft
Nina Kraft
Nina Kraft is a German professional triathlete. Before turning professional, she used to work as a draughtswoman. As well as being a pro Triathlete Nina is also an accomplished artist...
, after Kraft admitted to using the banned performance enhancer EPO
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
.
Badmann is known for her dominating ability on the bike leg of the triathlon, and her positive attitude (Badmann is often seen smiling and actively responding to spectators throughout much of the triathlon).