Chris McCormack Says He’s Out Of Kona

Two-time Ironman world champion Chris McCormack tweeted Saturday morning that he is out for the 2013 Ironman World Championship, which is just under a month away. McCormack had tweeted several times about being ill over the past few days, and followed up with a diagnosis that would not allow for him to prepare for or race in Kona.

McCormack, who turned 40 this year, sent out the following tweet: “Epstein Barr virus, diagnosis mononucleosis. 4-6 weeks recovery. Kona is gone for 2013. Absolutely devastated. Thanks for the concerns.”

Just a week ago, McCormack had told Bob Babbitt on Competitor Radio that this would be his last time going for the Kona crown: “After last year I wanted to go back one more time. I raced last year and I was tied to Challenge and I told them ‘I’m going to race Kona more time and then I’m going to hang it up,’ but I didn’t have the race I was after and I was so bummed. I didn’t want my last year to finish in the back of a truck. So I said to Emma and my kids that we’ll go back one more time to Hawaii as a race and then after that Dad promises that we’ll go back and support everyone who is racing, so this is my last year probably as a serious racer.”

McCormack had just returned home to Australia from the United States when he received the diagnosis. He raced and won TriRock Austin on Sept. 2 and the international distance at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon on Sept. 7.