Australia's Luke McKenzie bagged his first Ironman victory in fine fashion June 22, trouncing fellow countryman Mitchell Anderson by almost 10 minutes to win Ironman Japan in 8:29:11, shattering Jason Shortis' 2005 course record by 12 minutes. But the women's race was no first-timer's affair, as Japan's Naomi Imaizumi won a heated duel with American Bree Wee to take her second-straight title in Goto, Nagasaki.

Although McKenzie crossed the line clear of challengers, he had to fend off the charge of Canada's Mathieu O'Halloran on the swim and a hot-wheeling Anderson on the bike before coasting to gold. O'Halloran and McKenzie exited the water in close contention and clung together for much of the bike before the Canadian encountered problems late in the leg that allowed McKenzie to charge ahead solo. But even with O'Halloran out of contention, a fast-charging Anderson had slashed McKenzie's lead from nine minutes to three by the end of the bike. Fortunately for McKenzie, his mate took a wrong turn on the run course, which put the death knell on Mitchell's dreams of first place. But the Aussie's second-place time was far from shabby, his 8:38:34 still besting Shortis' previous record. German Hans Muehlbauer rocked out in Nagasaki, as well, using a killer run to scoot into the third-place spot in yet another course-record-breaking time of 8:39:48.

While the top three men etched their names in the record books, the top two women engaged in a bloody battle for the race's lone Kona slot. Although Australian Sarah Pollett swam like a fish and hung tough with Imaizumi and Wee for much of the bike, the eventual first- and second-place finishers battled throughout, with the home-country favorite eventually eking out a three minute, 13 second advantage to cross the line in 9:33:59. Pollett hung on for third in 9:54:30.

Ironman Japan
Goto, Nagasaki, Japan
Sunday, June 22, 2008
2.4mi S/112mi B/26.2mi R

Men's Results
1. Luke McKenzie (AUS) 8:29:11
2. Mitchell Anderson (AUS) 8:38:34
3. Hans Muehlbauer (GER) 8:39:48
4. Hayato Kawahara (JPN) 8:48:00
5. Han SeokJoo (KOR) 8:50:49

Women's Results
1. Naomi Imaizumi (JPN) 9:33:59
2. Bree Wee (USA) 9:37:12
3. Sarah Pollett (AUS) 9:54:30
4. Saki Kubota (JPN) 10:10:47