Amanda Mckenzie-Balding
Year of birth: 1981
Height: 175 cm
Weight: 59 Kg
Hometown: QLD and NSW Australia, California and Oregon USA
Amanda was born in the country of WA. Spending the first ten years in a small town called Manjimup. She now has a massive extended family of thirteen brothers and sisters. Two amazing parents whom she grew up with and another set of biological parents. After moving to the city at the age of ten she got involved with little athletics. She spent the next few years representing Australia at various junior events around the world in the unusual sport of walking.
After traveling around Australia working and having fun she finally settled in Sydney. Having been out of sport completely she entered a race in Noosa and loved it. She competed in only a few races over the next 3 years.
In 2003 she was diagnosed with cancer and heard the message loud and clear. It was time for a life change. On completion of her successful treatment she sold everything and moved house to train for her first Ironman. In 2004 she started her dream of becoming an Ironman. At first it was purely a goal to finish.
Upon moving to the US for 3 months to train in the summer of 05 she completed her first Half Ironman race. This was just three weeks before she flew to the UK for her first full distance Ironman which she completed in a modest 12.40hrs. Not long after she realized that she had the Ironman bug but also realized that even more changes were needed to be had if she wanted to compete in the Hawaiian Ironman. In 2007 she qualified and completed the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. With her 2007 results she applied and was granted her Professional License. The 2008 season was an up and down rookie year with many lessons. She closed the year out with a top 10 result and a personal best of 10.09hrs.
In 2009 Amanda and her boyfriend Luke McKenzie will continue their journey and adventures of racing in the 70.3 and Ironman circuit throughout the world.