Mirinda Carfrea forced out of Ironman World Championship mid-race in Kona, Hawaii, due to injury

HIT by a car late last week, Mirinda Carfrae’s bid for a fourth Ironman world title ended on Sunday by the side of a hot highway just outside the centre of Kona.

Ironman Melbourne

Hit by a car late last week, Mirinda Carfrae’s bid for a fourth Ironman world title ended early on Sunday by the side of a hot highway just outside the centre of Kona.

The Australian triathlete crashed off her bike not once, but twice in the lead-up to the gruelling 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km run in Hawaii.

The ramifications from the second crash, where she was hit by a car while training just three days before the Ironman World Championship race, were more serious than initially though.

Carfare stopped racing during the second leg of the torture test, got off her bike and eventually got into a support car.

Gutted to pull the plug back seizing up after minor crash this week =hard call. Time to cheer on my #1 @TOinTRI and @IRONMANtri competitors!

— Mirinda Carfrae (@Mirindacarfrae) October 10, 2015

She was seen stretching her back and grimacing in pain.

“Once I got on the bike, it was my back straight away,” Carfrae said.

“It started to tighten up and it got progressively worse.

“I had no power and I was going backwards, basically.

Just prior to the second accident last week Carfra had told the Daily Telegraph she had never felt better ahead of the biggest race on the triathlon long-course calendar.

The ironwoman, who holds the course and marathon record in Hawaii, said she felt she had her best race in her to come.

Instead it was Swiss triathlete Daniela Ryf who claimed the top prize in Hawaii as german Jan Frodeno ran off with the men’s title.

Both Europeans are first time winners at the Hawaii ironman.

Originally published as Mirinda Carfrea forced out of Ironman World Championship mid-race in Kona, Hawaii, due to injury