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Mark Allen

b. 1958

American triathlete

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About Mark Allen

Born 1958. Mark Allen is an American triathlete, athletics competitor and coach.

Mark Allen (born January 12, 1958, in Glendale, California) is an American triathlete and six-time Ironman Triathlon World Champion.

Education He graduated from UC San Diego, where he was an All-American swimmer, with a degree in biology.

Career After competing and losing in the Ironman Triathlon Championships six times (often to Dave Scott), Allen emerged victorious in 1989, winning one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world.

This was the first of six Ironman victories for Allen, the last coming in 1995 at age 37, making him the oldest winner of the event at that time. He has also excelled at the Olympic distance, winning the sport's inaugural World Championships in 1989 in Avignon, France, by more than a minute. He was undefeated in 10 trips to the Nice International Championships, and from 1988 to 1990 he had a winning streak of 21 races.

Over the course of his racing career, which ended in 1996, he maintained a 90% average in top-three finishes. He was named Triathlete of the Year six times by Triathlete magazine, and in 1997 Outside magazine dubbed him The World's Fittest Man. Allen was inducted into the Ironman Triathlon Hall of Fame in 1997. "1" is for his victory in the first official triathlon World Championship. "6" is for the six times he won the Ironman. 21 stands for his two season run of 21 straight victories, along the way defeating every one of the top 50 triathletes in the world. "Infinity" represents his acknowledgement by ESPN as "The Greatest Endurance Athlete of All Time."

Allen owns and operates Mark Allen Coaching, a global online triathlon coaching concern.

Results

YEARRACEPOSITIONSWIMBIKERUNRESULT 1995 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 1st 51:50 4:46:35 2:42:09 8:20:34 1993 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 1st --- --- --- 8:07:46 1992 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 1st --- --- --- 8:09:08 1991 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 1st --- --- --- 8:18:32 1990 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 1st --- --- --- 8:28:17 1989 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 1st --- --- --- 8:09:14 1988 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 5th --- --- --- 8:43:22 1987 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 2nd --- --- --- 8:45:19 1986 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 2nd --- --- --- 8:36:04 1984 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 5th --- --- --- 9:35:02 1983 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US 3rd --- --- --- 9:21:06 1982 Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii, US DNF --- --- --- ---

DNF - Did not finish

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Important facts

People in Mark Allen's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Mark Allen's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Mark Allen?

American triathlete

When was Mark Allen born?

Mark Allen was born on 12 January 1958 in Glendale.

What is Mark Allen's occupation?

Mark Allen is a triathlete, athletics competitor and coach.

What nationality is Mark Allen?

Mark Allen is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mark Allen

· Wikidata: Q1388704

· DBpedia: Mark Allen (triathlete)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mark Allen. https://biography.guide/mark-allen/

MLA: "Mark Allen." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mark-allen/.

Chicago: "Mark Allen." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mark-allen/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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