Braden Currie: Background, career highlights, quotes
Kiwi Braden Currie worked his way up from adventure racing to become a multiple Ironman winner, Xterra and national champion. Here’s his story so far…
Braden Currie is a New Zealand-born professional triathlete who’s competed in over 90 races, most recently gracing the podium at the 2021 Ironman World Championships in St George, Utah.
Here’s his story so far…
Who is Braden Currie?
From a childhood on the farm in small-town Canterbury, New Zealand, to making a global name for himself on the multisport stage, Braden Currie is a man on a mission to become the world’s best long-distance triathlete.
Currie started his triathlon career in 2013 by racing adventure and off-road events, going on to win the Xterra Asia Pacific and New Zealand Championships.
Over the next few years, Currie went on to become a dad to his two children, Bella and Tarn, and claim gold in multiple Ironman 70.3 events, as well as becoming New Zealand’s National Middle-Distance Champion in 2016. Currie then moved onto full-distance racing, winning Ironman New Zealand the following year.
Currie would win several more Ironman races over the ensuing years until the Pandemic forced a re-set and deep dive into his training. A man who loved to race, Currie had to recalibrate his motivators and figure out his drive – hard work.
More recently, Currie has had one goal and one goal only – to win the Ironman World Championships, which he considers to be the world’s toughest race. He came close to achieving his dream at the postponed 2021 Champs in St George, Utah, in May 2022, when he took bronze.
Currie also has his own YouTube channel where he documents his training leading up to the 2022 Ironman World Championships, in October.
How old is Braden Currie?
Braden Currie was born on 30 May 1986, making him 36 years old.
Braden Currie’s career highlights
March 2017: Smashes first Ironman at Ironman New Zealand
A dominating performance for Currie’s first-ever Ironman race sees the elite athlete become the third-ever Kiwi to win the race. Promising first results for the adventure triathlete.
June 2018: Course record broken at Ironman Asia Pacific Championships
Not only does Currie take the win, but he sets an all-new course record in a time of 7:54:58 and holds off long-time racing rival Javier Gomez (ESP).
An ecstatic Currie said post-race, “I can’t really believe that I have pulled off what I did today. This is a huge stepping stone for me and it feels great to have a great race and prove myself again. It is great to come back feeling fit and strong and have a great race.”
October 2018: Fifth at Ironman World Championships
On a day of course records and in the midst of an insanely fast pro field, Currie not only paces top five in the world, but bags the sixth-fastest performance in the race’s history.
February 2019: Wins Challenge Wanaka
“It ended up really good but I didn’t feel that great getting up this morning or coming into the bike ride because there was not a huge taper heading into this one. Once I got into the run I felt super comfortable. I held my pace and conserved what I could,” Currie explained post-race.
October 2019: Places seventh at Ironman World Championships
A huge step up from Currie’s initial 31st position result in his first hack at the Ironman World Championships back in 2017, but a step down from the top-five positioning the year before. It’s all learning blocks to Currie, though, who suffered on the bike but still bagged the race’s third-fastest run split.
“I would have liked to have bettered my fifth place from last year, but racing doesn’t always go plan no matter how dedicated you are and no matter how much training you put in. I accept this result and at the end of the day, I’m still in the top 10 in the world – happy days,” said Currie.
March 2021: Takes the tape again at Ironman New Zealand
A local triathlon legend in New Zealand by this point, Currie destroys the competition at Ironman NZ to take the win in a time of 7:57:13 ahead of compatriots Mike Phillips and Kyle Smith.
August 2021: Wins his match at PTO Collins Cup but beaten overall by Team Europe
Faced with a fourth national lockdown in New Zealand, Currie managed to make it to the start line of the inaugural PTO Collins Cup in Slovakia – triathlon’s answer to golf’s world-famous Ryder Cup. Stacked against world champion Patrick Lange and the USA’s Matt Hansen, Currie came out of his match winner to boost Team International’s point score.
Alas it wasn’t enough for the overall win, but a personal victory nonetheless for Currie, who viewed the race as a replacement challenge after the cancellation of the 2021 Ironman World Champs, saying he “knew that this race would probably be the closest experience to what could have been in Kona”.
May 2022: Bronze at the 2021 Ironman World Championship in St George
Despite going for the win, it just wasn’t Currie’s day at the 2021 champs in the face of fierce competition from the Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt and previous world champion, Canadian Lionel Sanders. A respectable third place keeps the momentum up for the ultimate goal – October’s 2022 Word Championship in Kona.
Braden Currie in quotes
On his beliefs: “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
On his career: “I’m a self-motivated athlete simply doing what he loves.”
On racing the Ironman World Champs in Kona, Hawaii: “In some ways racing Kona for me is simply the subtle art of taking myself to the rivet and staying there and finding comfort there. There’s a really sick and twisted mindset going into this race because you know, that no matter what, it’s going to take you to your darkest place.
“You’re going to over-heat and really battle. It’s a very intimidating race to go into. In some ways though, that’s the appeal of this race. Being able to race hard right to that point and tolerating that feeling right until the end.”
What’s next for Braden Currie?
Next up, Currie will be looking to replicate last year’s match win at the PTO Collins Cup in Slovakia, racing as part of Team International alongside compatriot Hayden Wilde.
While the ultimate goal that’s been many years in the making will be, of course, becoming world champion at the 2022 Ironman World Championship in Kona on 8 October. Watch this space.
Top credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Kate Milsom
Freelance sports journalist 
