What happened to Luc Van Lierde, the first European to win the Hawaii Ironman?

Luc Van Lierde is a triathlon legend. The Belgian was at the top of the sport for many years and was the first European to win the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. This is his story.

Van Lierde first stood out internationally in 1990, when the Bruges native finished fourth at the ITU Triathlon World Championships in Orlando.

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Van Lierde then continued to perform consistently with fine results. In 1995, he took silver at both the ETU Triathlon European Championships and the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. It was the prelude to a first major triumph.

In 1996, Van Lierde won gold at the ETU Triathlon European Championships in Szombathely, Hungary.

Yet his hunger was not yet satisfied in 1996. Van Lierde excelled with silver medals at the ITU Triathlon World Championships in Cleveland and the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in Muncie. But these achievements were nothing like his next success.

In the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, Van Lierde beat the entire world's top competitors and became the first European ever to triumph in the mythical triathlon. And what's more, he did it on his debut.

Before Van Lierde clinched the Hawaii Ironman, the race had only been won by Americans and Australian Greg Welch (pictured), who took victory in 1994. So it is fair to say that the Belgian made history.

What's more, Van Lierde won in a record time of 8:04:08.

Van Lierde was at the top of his game at the time and would enjoy one triumph after another in the following years.

In 1997, he clinched the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships and Ironman Europe. The latter race he won in 7:50:27, at the time a record time in an Ironman.

Van Lierde continued that good run in 1998, with a win at the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships and a second place in the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, which he had had to skip the previous year due to surgery.

Van Lierde, however, was keen for a second win on the American island. He proved that in 1999, when he pulled out all the stops and won for the second time.

At that time, Van Lierde already had a career that many can only dream of, but he picked up several more fine victories, including the Ironman of Malaysia (twice).

His native Belgium highly appreciated the achievements of Van Lierde, who was awarded the trophies for Sportsman of the Year (twice) and Sports Personality of the Year, and the National Sports Merit Award.

In 2009, Van Lierde started as a triathlon coach after his active career. And with great success.

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Van Lierde coached namesake Frederik Van Lierde to victory in the 2013 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, which meant a second Belgian put his name on the winners list of the world's most prestigious triathlon.

Luc Van Lierde lives and breathes triathlon, both during his active and coaching careers, which only makes him an even greater legend of the sport.