# Luke McKenzie (triathlete)

Luke Jarrod McKenzie (born 26 July 1981) is an Australian professional triathlete who specializes in long distance, non-drafting triathlon events. In 2013 he took second place at the Ironman World Championship.

## Career

McKenzie was born and raised in Taree, New South Wales where he grew up participating in a variety of sports including cricket, water polo, and golf. His first introduction and interest in triathlon came from volunteering at a marathon aid station in Forster during Ironman Australia with his family for a few years of his childhood in the late 1980s. At age 13, his family moved to the Gold Coast which exposed to him to a higher caliber triathlon, swimming, and surfing environment. His talent as a swimmer was good enough to warrant training with an Olympic coach. Swimming also led to surf lifesaving competitions and cross country running. There was a triathlon club that trained at the same time and at the same pool where he swam. McKenzie approached the team coach and asked to join their squad and was accepted. In the very first race he entered, a junior sprint; which lasted 15 minutes, he took first place.
McKenzie was picked to train at Australia's newly created national triathlon performance center. Throughout high school he trained alongside future champions Mirinda Carfrae, Emma Snowsill, and Annabel Luxford. In 1997, he reached his first world junior championships in duathlon and at 19 he placed third at the 2001 ITU World Junior Championships. The following year, with the Athens Olympic Games two years away, McKenzie was unsure his current pursuit of draft-legal, Olympic style racing was going to result in him qualifying the games. Under the advisement of training partner Michellie Jones, he and Craig Alexander moved into an apartment in Carlsbad, California and trained, focusing on non-draft style racing.
In his career leading up to the 2013 Ironman World Championship, McKenzie had won six previous Ironman competitions. He led the 2013 championship race up until mile 16 of the marathon before being passed by eventual champion Frederik Van Lierde but held on to finish second.

## Personal life

McKenzie was married to pro triathlete Amanda Balding from October 2010 to March 2013. Pro triathlete, Beth Gerdes gave birth to their daughter, Wynne, in May 2014. Luke and Beth have subsequently been married.

## Notable results

McKenzie's notable race results include:
Results list :
| Year | Event | Place |
| 2019 | Ironman 70.3 Philippines | 11th |
| 2019 | Ironman 70.3 Vietnam | DNF |
| 2019 | Challenge Melbourne | 5th |
| 2019 | Ironman 70.3 Taiwan | 3rd |
| 2018 | Ironman Western Australia | 4th |
| 2018 | Challenge Asia-Pacific Championship | 1st |
| 2018 | Ironman Australia | 2nd |
| 2018 | Challenge Wanaka | 6th |
| 2017 | Ironman 70.3 Los Cabos | 10th |
| 2017 | Ironman Wisconsin | 1st |
| 2017 | Ironman 70.3 Raleigh | 22nd |
| 2016 | Ironman World Championship | 37th |
| 2016 | Ironman Cairns | 6th |
| 2016 | Ironman 70.3 Vietnam | 3rd |
| 2016 | Ironman 70.3 Panama | 16th |
| 2016 | Ironman Western Australia | 1st |
| 2015 | Challenge Laguna Phuket | DNF |
| 2015 | Ironman 70.3 Pucón | 4th |
| 2015 | Challenge Dubai | 18th |
| 2015 | Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay | 4th |
| 2015 | Ironman 70.3 St. George | 8th |
| 2015 | Ironman Cairns | 1st |
| 2015 | Ironman 70.3 Cebu | 6th |
| 2015 | Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast | 2nd |
| 2015 | Ironman World Championship | DNF |
| 2015 | Island House Invitational Triathlon | 7th |
| 2015 | Ironman Western Australia | 1st |
| 2014 | Ironman World Championship | 15th |
| 2014 | Challenge Roth | 10th |
| 2014 | Ironman Melbourne | 13th |
| 2013 | Ironman World Championship | 2nd |
| 2013 | Ironman 70.3 World Championship | 50th |
| 2013 | Hy-Vee 5150 Championships | 19th |
| 2013 | Philippines 5150 | 1st |
| 2013 | Ironman Cairns | 1st |
| 2013 | Coral Coast 5150 | 4th |
| 2013 | Ironman 70.3 St. George | 8th |
| 2013 | Ironman 70.3 Oceanside | 9th |
| 2013 | Ironman 70.3 Pucón | 7th |
| 2012 | Ironman Cozumel | 11th |
| 2012 | Ironman World Championship | 24th |
| 2012 | Ironman 70.3 Cozumel | 4th |
| 2012 | Ironman 70.3 Vinenam | 8th |
| 2012 | Ironman 70.3 Cairns | 2nd |
| 2012 | Ironman 70.3 Busselton | 4th |
| 2011 | Ironman World Championship | 9th |
| 2011 | Ironman 70.3 World Championship | 32nd |
| 2011 | Ironman Germany | 6th |
| 2011 | Ironman Texas | 13th |
| 2011 | Ironman 70.3 New Orleans | 13th |
| 2011 | Ironman 70.3 San Juan | 3rd |
| 2010 | Ironman 70.3 Cancún | 2nd |
| 2010 | Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens | 5th |
| 2010 | Ironman Brazil | 1st |
| 2010 | Ironman 70.3 Busselton | 1st |
| 2010 | Ironman China | 1st |
| 2009 | Ironman World Championship | 15th |
| 2009 | Ironman Malaysia | 1st |
| 2009 | Ironman Japan | 1st |
| 2009 | Ironman Louisville | 2nd |
| 2009 | Ironman Florida | 7th |
| 2009 | Ironman 70.3 Western Australia | 1st |
| 2009 | Ironman 70.3 China | 2nd |
| 2009 | Ironman 70.3 Hawaii | 3rd |
| 2008 | Ironman World Championship | 29th |
| 2008 | Ironman 70.3 World Championship | 7th |
| 2008 | Ironman Japan | 1st |
| 2008 | Ironman Western Australia | 3rd |
| 2008 | Ironman Australia | 5th |
| 2008 | Ironman 70.3 Singapore | 5th |
| 2008 | Malibu Triathlon | 11th |
| 2008 | Wildflower Triathlon | 16th |
| 2007 | Ironman World Championship | 19th |
| 2007 | Ironman 70.3 Cancún | 3rd |
| 2007 | Ironman 70.3 Baja | 3rd |
| 2007 | Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens | 3rd |
| 2007 | Ironman 70.3 Antwerp | 5th |
| 2007 | Ironman Coeur d’Alene | 6th |
| 2006 | Ironman World Championship | 54th |
| 2006 | Ironman Lake Placid | 10th |
| 2006 | Ironman 70.3 St. Croix | 7th |
| 2006 | Ironman 70.3 Florida | 4th |
| 2005 | Port Macquarie Half Ironman | 4th |
| 2005 | Ironman 70.3 Eagleman | 6th |
| 2005 | Ironman 70.3 Florida | 7th |
| 2005 | St. Croix Triathlon | 5th |
| 2005 | St. Anthony's Triathlon | 9th |
| 2004 | Ironman Western Australia | 3rd |
| 2004 | Wisconsin Half Ironman Racine | 2nd |
| 2004 | Musoka Challenge | 4th |
| 2004 | St. Anthony's Triathlon | 7th |
| 2004 | Escape From Alcatraz | 12th |
| 2004 | Noosa Triathlon | 15th |
| 2003 | Ironman 70.3 Racine | 1st |
| 2003 | Pacific Coast ITU Triathlon Pan American Cup | 9th |
| 2003 | Noosa Triathlon | 10th |
| 2003 | ITU Triathlon World Championships U/23 Championships | 9th |