Athlete Story: Seiichiro Maeda

TRIATHLON NEWS AND UPDATES

Aug 19, 2026

52 Minutes Faster in One Year

In 2024 I raced IRONMAN Cairns and finished in 12 hours and 3 minutes. One year later, in 2025, I returned to the same race and crossed the finish line in 11 hours and 11 minutes. That almost one-hour improvement still feels surreal to me.

I am from Japan, and English is my second language. When I first started working with Koa, I was a little nervous that the language barrier might make the coaching hard to follow. Instead, everything has been clear, simple, and easy to understand. The plans, the feedback, and the guidance all make sense even when I am reading or listening in English.

On race day the Koa community was so welcoming and supportive. Seeing familiar faces, receiving encouragement, and feeling part of a team made a real difference when the race got tough. I never felt alone out there.

I know my coach and the whole team played a big role in these huge improvements. Their support, belief, and consistent guidance helped me train smarter, stay focused, and believe that a big jump in performance was possible. I am truly grateful for everything they have done.

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