Panama City Beach Ironman Race Draws 2,000 Athletes

Panama City Beach, Florida, welcomed 2,000 athletes for the 2022 Visit Panama City Beach Ironman Florida triathlon, part of the VinFast Ironman U.S. Series, on November 5.

Athletes began with a 2.4-mile swim in the Gulf of Mexico before taking on a 112-mile bike ride through Bay County and a 26.2-mile run on a flat and fast course, highlighting Panama City Beach, the intercoastal waterway, views of the shoreline and a finish line inside Pier Park.

Athletes came from all 50 states and 51 countries, according to Chris O’Brien, director of sports marketing and special events for Visit Panama City Beach.

In the men’s age-group race, Daniel McParland from New Longton, Great Britain, competing in the M40-44 age group won with an overall finishing time of 8:55:42. In the women’s race, Katrine Brock of Sønderjylland, Denmark, raced in the F30-34 age group and won with an overall finishing time of 9:49:32.

The 2022 Visit Panama City Beach Ironman Florida, offered 55 coveted age-group qualifying slots for the 2023 VinFast Ironman World Championship, which will be staged in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i on October 12 and 14, 2023. The Panama City Beach triathlon will return to Florida’s panhandle on November 4, 2023.