22 year old with Down Syndrome surprising everyone by doing an Ironman, Boston marathon and public speaking. Things no one even imagined were possible.
Joined April 2020
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Chris Nikic retweeted
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗘𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗗
𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝟬𝟭𝟬 | Chris Nikic | Triathlon
At 18, @ChrisNikic was out of shape and uncertain about what would come after high school.
Chris has Down syndrome and low muscle tone. At three years old, he still needed a walker.
But Chris did not focus on how far he had to go.
He focused on getting 1% better each day.
One more step.
One more repetition.
One more mile.
On November 7, 2020, at 21 years old, Chris entered IRONMAN Florida.
A full-distance IRONMAN requires a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run, completed within 17 hours.
Chris finished in 16 hours, 46 minutes and 9 seconds.
He became the first person with Down syndrome to complete an IRONMAN.
But the finish line was only the beginning.
Chris later completed the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii and became the first person with Down syndrome to finish all six World Marathon Majors.
Then he began helping other athletes pursue their own goals.
Through the Chris Nikic 1% Better Foundation, he works to make fitness more accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The foundation funds adaptive equipment, trains coaches, helps fitness organizations become more inclusive and provides scholarships for neurodiverse athletes.
The point is not that Chris accomplished these things “despite” Down syndrome.
He trained.
He adapted.
He persisted.
He earned every finish.
Chris did not ask the world to lower the bar.
He reached it, then went to work widening the lane so others could follow.
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱.
#TheQuietStandard #BigDogsAtWork #MoreThanAGame
Thank you @WeAreOscarMike for the honor of the OscarMike Inspiration award. Amazing what you are doing for wounded veterans. We want to help promote and raise awareness. You are awesome.
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I am Nik. Father of Chris Nikic. Ironman. 2X ESPY winner. World record holder. Trisomy 21. Pray for this person and his wife. He is describing our son Chris. And he is saying Chris’s life is not worth living. I wish he and his wife met Chris before this decision.
This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21.
The choice was not made lightly. We really appreciate all of the personal stories that you guys shared with us, especially the unconditional support we received from fans with no matter what we decided.
I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news. We are devastated. This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley.
She underwent the procedure earlier this week and is on the mend. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained.
Trisomy 21, also known as Down Syndrome, is caused by an extra chromosome. It is caused by an error in cell division, like a glitch. The odds of a baby having it is 1 in 1000.
When I first confronted this news, I was shocked but optimistic. If they’re a little slow intellectually, then we’ll make it work. I signed on to be a parent, come what may…but I just didn’t fully understand what Down Syndrome entailed.
Once we made it public, it became clear that MOST people don’t know what Down Syndrome entails (and no, it’s not the same as Autism):
50% of babies with DS have heart defects. 75% will have hearing challenges. Over 50% will have vision problems. Impaired immune function, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, delayed physical development, poor muscle tone, structural issues with face, decreased lifespan, etc…Sadly, the list is long, feel free to look it up…Down Syndome isn’t a “blessing”, it is objectively shitty from a health perspective.
I didn’t realize just how rough it is for the child, let alone the family…more often than not, they would be fully dependent on others for the rest of their life.
The miscarriage risk is also close to 50%, which made matters worse…they may never see the light of day and it puts Ashley further at risk.
We spoke with doctors, friends, family and genetic counselors and learned that up to 90% of women terminate their pregnancy after learning the baby has Trisomy 21.
This was WAY higher than I expected, I thought it would be lower given that I hear so many say they kept or would keep the baby. I believe that’s because most terminations happen privately, it feels shameful. A lot of judgment being cast.
You never think you’d be in this type of situation until it happens to you and then things change.
To all of my fans who have weighed in on this topic who have Autism, Down Syndrome or any other conditions…we appreciate you. You matter a lot and we’re glad you’re here. I commend you and your families for having the strength and courage to push forward.
As for us, we made a difficult decision that we believe in the long-run will be beneficial for our family. Thankfully, we had a choice.
It will take a little time to move on, but we are excited to try again in the future and hopefully have a better outcome.
Love you guys & thank you for understanding. ❤️
Chris Nikic retweeted
Designed with athletes like @ChrisNikic, these aren't just sneakers—they’re a win for accessibility. When the world designs for everyone, we all win!
Read more about the story behind the Supernova Rise 3 ow.ly/BcyM50YzY63
These are amazing
"What feels like a 2 out of 10 in pain for most people hurts like an 8 for me. @adidas understood exactly what I need in a shoe. Now I love running — because my feet don’t hurt anymore." - @ChrisNikic
news.adidas.com/people/adida…
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Chris Nikic retweeted
'@ChrisNikic, un jove nord-americà amb síndrome de Down que inspira a milions de persones.
From redefining limits to inspiring millions — @chrisnikic’s story is a reminder that progress isn’t about giant leaps, it’s about small steps forward.
#ChasingEpic #RaisedInTheWater #Triathlon
Chris Nikic retweeted
From redefining limits to inspiring millions — @chrisnikic’s story is a reminder that progress isn’t about giant leaps, it’s about small steps forward.
#ChasingEpic #RaisedInTheWater #Triathlon
Chris Nikic retweeted
🎬 Honored to share that Impossible is Just a Word: A Special Olympics Story featuring @chrisnikic is screening at @stlfilmfest this Nov! Huge thanks to @wrongcreative & @specialolympics for the magic. Proud to be EP on the brand side.
Stream it free on @Kanopy!
#filmfestival
ALT 2 Laurels surrounding the words "Official Selection. St. Louis International Film Festival 2025"
Can’t believe this was 4 years ago. Today going back to ESPYs for fun to celebrate with the worlds most amazing athletes.
