The 30-year-old from Melaka is the first Malaysian woman to complete the 515km challenge.
From representing Malaysia at the SEA Games to becoming the fastest Malaysian female Ironman finisher, she has come a long way since starting out as a piano teacher in Melaka.
Most recently, Pow secured a place in the Malaysia Book of Records as the first Malaysian woman to complete Ultraman Australia, widely regarded as one of the toughest endurance races in the world.
You would never guess that she only began her athletic journey when she was 19. “I was never active in sports during school – I started running just to lose weight,” she told FMT Lifestyle.
“My first run was about 4km, and I thought that was my maximum.”
But she continued pushing herself and eventually worked her way up to completing marathons. “After I completed four full marathons, I realised I wanted to do something more.”
That was when she came across an advertisement for Ironman Langkawi, part of the global long-distance triathlon series held in more than 50 countries.
While preparing for the event, Pow moved from Melaka to Kuala Lumpur for her tertiary studies and was spotted by coach Rupert Chen.
“He asked if I wanted to train for SEA Games selection. It was such an amazing opportunity, so even though I was just a student at the time, I said yes.”
2022 proved to be her breakthrough year as she represented Malaysia in the women’s individual duathlon event at the Hanoi SEA Games.
A few months later, she completed her first full-distance Ironman Malaysia in Langkawi. At only 26, she finished the 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km run in 11 hours, 55 minutes and 44 seconds, becoming the fastest Malaysian female finisher at the event.
Pow went on to break her own Ironman record several times before recording a personal best in Barcelona last year. Her finishing time of 10:28:36 remains the fastest by a Malaysian woman, earning her fourth place globally in the 25-29 age category.
She then set her sights on Ultraman Australia – nearly twice the total distance of a standard Ironman. While Ironman can attract thousands of participants, Ultraman is limited to 35 to 50 athletes each year.
With the help of sponsors and a support crew, Pow completed the gruelling 515km event over three days, comprising a 10km swim, 421km bike ride and 84.3km run.
Pow said the second day proved particularly challenging, especially during the final 70km of the bike ride when she pulled a hamstring and injured her ankle.
To prepare for the race, which took place in early May, Pow trained between 18 and 24 hours a week. “But no matter whether I have an Ultraman or Ironman coming up, I’m constantly doing sports. It just varies in intensity and duration,” she said.
Even without a major competition on the horizon, Pow takes only one rest day a week.
Beyond being a professional triathlete, she is also a sports influencer. “I realised I can motivate other females to get into sports,” she said.
“‘Ironman’, ‘Ultraman’, everything is about men – but females can do it, too.”
Pow stressed that the benefits of sport extend far beyond physical fitness. “My old friends would be shocked to see how I look now. I was an introvert, a nerd, not really doing anything in life.
“I feel that sport really changed me into someone who understands what I want and believes in myself.”
And her message to others? “Start small. Never be afraid of a challenge and don’t think too much.” - FMT
Follow Ann Pow on Instagram.
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