
Rising junior triathlete Kendall Leininger won the women's 18-24 age division of her first Ironman 70.3-mile race Sunday near Penn State University.
Four Liberty triathletes complete first Ironman 70.3 races Sunday at Penn State
6/17/2025 1:57:00 PM | Triathlon
The three Lady Flames finishers landed in the top six out of 17 contestants in the women’s 18-24 division of the 70.3-mile event, paced by Kendall Leininger’s first-place time of 5 hours, 25 minutes, 48 seconds.

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Leininger completed the 1.2-mile triangular swim in the Foster Sayers Reservoir in 33 minutes, 37 seconds before finishing the 56-mile cycling stage in 2 hours, 58 minutes, 8 seconds and the half-marathon run in 1:47:28 for a combined time of 5:25:48 including transition phases. That placed her 136th out of 865 participants and 31st among women.
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"That is a tremendous accomplishment, and qualified her for the (Ironman 70.3) World Championships (Nov. 8 in Marbella,) Spain," Liberty Head Coach Heather Gollnick said, noting Leininger has opted to skip the opportunity after previously representing Team USA at the World Triathlon Championships in Hamburg, Germany, in July 2023 and in Spain last summer. "She is also a tremendous student focused on her academics."
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Leininger, who was awarded the team's Perseverance Award this past season after overcoming Functional Neurological Disorder last year to compete for the Lady Flames in the majority of their races, was one of four Liberty representatives in the race including rising sophomores Elise Collette (fourth out of 17 contestants in the women's 18-24 division in 5:49:16) and Naomi Dieken (sixth in 6:16:38) and rising junior Charles Block (6:08:04). Complete results are available online.
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"Each of these athletes chose to take on a half-Ironman during their summer break to continue building their base and gain race experience as they prepare for next season," Gollnick added. "Their dedication and discipline are a true testament to the strength of their character and commitment."
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She said as she reflected on their efforts, she was reminded of Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."
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"Their example continues to reflect the heart of our mission — pursuing excellence both athletically and spiritually," Gollnick said.

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