Is Fernandes the Greatest Ever?

At just 22 years old, Vanessa Fernandes is making quite a case to be considered the greatest ever.  This past weekend the soft-spoken Portuguese prodigy won her record-breaking 20th world cup title; a feat she likely won’t be publicizing herself.  Fernandes is quite content to let the numbers speak for themselves:

- Most world cup titles (20) of any ITU triathlete in history
- Has won 10% of all world cups ever staged
- Had made the podium in 77.4% of the world cups she’s entered
- Won 64.5% of the world cups she’s entered
- More world cup titles than all of France and Switzerland combined
- If Fernandes was a country, she’d rank 6th for most world cup wins by a country
- Only triathlete to win at least one world cup for 6 consecutive years (2003-2008)
- One of 3 triathletes (Emma Carney & Brad Beven) to win 6 world cup titles in a single year (all have done it twice)
- Only triathlete to win the same event for 6 straight years (Madrid 2003-2008)
- More European championships than any other athlete (5)
- Last year became the 2nd triathlete to win triathlon and duathlon world championships in the same year (Jackie Gallagher was the first in 1996)
- As an 18-year old, she finished 8th at the 2004 Athens Olympics, making her one of the youngest in the competition
- Introduced to triathlon 1999 by her father Venceslau, a former cyclist and winner of the 1984 Volta a Portugal

Next up for Fernandes is defence of her world championship in Vancouver on June 8.  Click here for live coverage and start times in your area

Click here for Fernandes’ profile

Vanessa Fernandes, the most decorated triathlete in ITU’s world cup history