Celebrating Women’s Day the Ironman way

Ironman competitor Annah Watkinson shares her story of balancing a career as a chartered accountant with her accomplishments as a professional athlete

Ironman athlete, Annah Watkinson, this week addressed employees at Isuzu’s annual Women’s Day celebrations held in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. The Isuzu-sponsored athlete, who finished third in the professional female category in the African Ironman Championship held in Nelson Mandela Bay earlier this year, shared her story of balancing a career as a chartered accountant with a demanding training regime.

Having faced a challenging childhood, Watkinson rose above her circumstances and today heads up a global finance division for Absa Corporate and Investment Bank. Her mantra – despite our circumstances, we always have choices – has been key to her success as a career woman and professional athlete.

Watkinson entered the triathlon scene less than ten years ago and has won several medals in various formats of competition. Following her presentations to Isuzu’s staff members, she left South Africa for Europe where she will participate in Ironman 70.3 in Poland on Sunday, August 11, and in Nice, France, on September 7. Later this year she will compete in the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii.

Watkinson believes that for the body to perform optimally, the mind needs to be in the right frame. “My success is attributable to the choices I make in life. I can either sleep in or get up and train,” she says.

She has an early start to the day to either run, swim or cycle. Thereafter, she diligently assumes her role as financial analyst, attending to her clients’ needs.