Sports
Bianca Guedes: From Zero to the Kona Ironman Championship
The Manaus-born entrepreneur and influencer details her journey from CrossFit to four Ironman races in 15 months.
In a candid conversation, triathlete Bianca Guedes reflects on her rapid rise in endurance sports, overcoming learning to swim as an adult to cross the finish line at the World Championships in Nice and Kona. She also shares how she balances high-performance training with running her own business and creating digital content.
Bianca Guedes's journey into high-performance sports began far from the track and the open road. Coming from a weight training background and looking for a healthier routine alongside her husband, she found her first competitive spark in CrossFit. The conditioning she built in the box opened doors to bigger challenges: after finishing a half marathon in Manaus, she decided to take on the Barcelona Marathon without a formal training plan or basic nutritional guidance, discovering a deep passion for long-distance events.
Realizing that her true calling lay in the cardiovascular demands of endurance sports, Bianca transitioned to triathlon. The initial obstacle was massive, as she did not know how to swim and had little experience on a road bike. Driven and pragmatic thanks to her engineering background, she took on the learning curve from scratch and signed up for Ironman 70.3 Fortaleza with only three months of preparation.
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The breakthrough in Fortaleza and World Championship debut
Her debut in Fortaleza exceeded all expectations. Bianca won her age group and secured a qualification slot for the Ironman World Championship in Nice. While improving across all three disciplines, she began documenting her day-to-day training on social media. Her authentic approach to her routine and the scarcity of endurance creators in Northern Brazil boosted her profile, turning digital content creation into a full-fledged professional venture.
Before tackling the technical and mountainous course in Nice, Bianca made her full-distance debut at Ironman Brazil in Florianópolis. Facing torrential rain and bitter cold, she pushed through physical exhaustion to cross the finish line. Months later in France, she confirmed her strong form by finishing as the second-fastest Brazilian woman in the race.
From freezing waters in South Africa to the heat of Kona
Chasing qualification for the iconic Kona World Championship, Bianca traveled to Ironman South Africa. The freezing water temperature triggered severe hypothermia during the swim, causing her to exit near the back of her age category. In a remarkable comeback, she fought for positions across the bike and run, securing the sixth and final qualifying slot available for Hawaii.
In Hawaii, the challenge flipped: dehydration on the bike leg required intense mental discipline to salvage the race during the marathon. During the toughest stretches, she relied on what she dubbed the "cry-smile" (chorriso)—the strategy of putting a smile on her face to send positive signals to her body and mind amidst pure exhaustion.
A multitasking routine and new challenges in the Amazon
Juggling rigorous training sessions with managing her vehicle dealership and delivering commercial partnerships demands meticulous planning. For Bianca, authenticity and focusing on a high-intent, engaged audience are the pillars that sustain her digital growth without relying on controversy.
After completing four full Ironman-distance races in just 15 months, the athlete eased back on ultra-distance events to allow her body time to recover. Her upcoming calendar features half-ironman races and a grueling 500 km adventure race across the Amazon, divided between paddling, mountain biking, and jungle trekking.
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