Alexandra Tondeur

It is no surprise that Alexandra’s favourite triathlon discipline is the run when you find out she is nicknamed ‘Cheetah’.

Tondeur is most proud of the way she is improving both media coverage and public recognition of the sport in Belgium. And with good reason.

The talented star made headlines in 2019, producing the best year of her stellar career so far. She became ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Champion as well as notching a number of excellent results in 70.3 and full-distance IRONMAN events. She was also named Belgian Triathlete Of The Year.

Alexandra is driven by her ambitions and her dreams, and admits it is the thought of Kona in October which makes her get up to train most days. She finished 19th in 2016 and 27th in 2017 and has high hopes of returning to improve on those results in the future.

Her first introduction to triathlon came through watching interviews with triathletes in Hawaii, and from that moment she was hooked.

Not surprisingly the thing ‘Cheetah’ cannot do without is her running shoes, while her favourite cheat meal is a textbook Belgian steak and fries.

Alexandra trains alone and says it has been a while since she could even think about taking holidays, while she would love her legacy to be triathlon becoming a national sport in Belgium.

Pain is a constant in triathlon, and Tondeur admits for her it is “every time I reach KM35 in an Ironman”.

Alexandra meanwhile says her parents are her heroes in life, and she is most scared by failure and not being able to move forward.

The best race advice she has ever been given is truly sage given the nature of the sport.

"Hope for the best, be prepared for the worst, capitalise on what comes."