Pete Jacobs (triathlete)

Pete Jacobs
Personal information
Nickname PJ
Born 27 October 1981
Sydney
Height 1.79 m (6 ft)
Weight 70 kg (154 lb)
Sport
Country Australia
Sport Triathlon
Medal record
Representing Australia
Men's triathlon
Ironman World Championship
Gold medal – first place 2012 Individual
Silver medal – second place 2011 Individual

Pete Jacobs (born 27 October 1981) is an Australian professional triathlete competing primarily in long-distance, non-drafting triathlon events. He is the winner of the 2012 Ironman World Championship.

Athletic career

Jacobs was born to parents Jenny and Geoff in Sydney, Australia and raised in the Northern Beaches area. He grew up following his mother to local triathlon events but took to surf lifesaving as well as cross country running growing up, but states that he never took running seriously at that point. Jacobs started competing in triathlon at the age of 18. During his training at the pool for surf lifesaving he meet other triathletes that helped guide him into the sport. It wasn't until after four years in a landscaping apprenticeship, which he started right out of school, that he decided to turn pro.

Jacobs first Ironman victory came in 2011 at the Ironman Australia event after numerous top 5 placings in Ironman and Challenge Roth triathlon events. He routinely posts the top swim and run times at his racing events, and even posted the third fastest run time on the Ironman World Championship course in 2011. It wasn't until his win at the 2012 Ironman World Championship did the three-time Hawaii Ironman top ten finisher posted his breakthrough performance where he won by five minutes over second-place finisher Andreas Raelert.

In 2014 Jacobs received criticism from Ironman CEO Andrew Messick, who accused him of having a lack of professionalism when he claimed his automatic qualifying spot for the 2014 Ironman World Championship at Ironman Switzerland. In that race he finished with a time of 11:42, last among pro men and 970th overall. Jacobs first responded to his comments via Twitter by calling Messick a "troll." A month later, before the championship, he formally replied to Messick on his website offering an explanation for his performance in Zurich; which he attributed to season-long fatigue. The two later met privately to put their dispute at rest.

Jacobs works with the coaching service BPM-Sport.

Notable results

Some of Jacobs' notable achievements include: