Lili Kramer, a 22-year-old triathlete from Bad Vilbel, Germany, won the European title at Ironman Frankfurt in late June 2026, crossing the finish line in 6 hours, 6 minutes and 11 seconds, the fastest overall time in the absence of the professional women's field.
Weeks after the win, Kramer told hr-sport she still had not fully processed the victory, saying she sometimes looked back and could hardly believe it had really happened.
Kramer said the race's shortened distance worked in her favor, since the swim leg stayed the same length and swimming was her strongest discipline. The bike course ran past her home in Bad Vilbel, where her family and boyfriend cheered her on. By the end of the half marathon, she said she was completely spent and simply relieved it was over.
Eating disorder began during pandemic
Kramer began competing in swimming at age six and, by her own account, reached her competitive peak as a teenager. That changed when the coronavirus pandemic shut down swimming pools for an extended period.
During that time she developed an eating disorder. She said it started as an attempt to lose two to three kilograms to become more competitive, but the diet dragged on until she became very underweight. When she returned to the pool, she lacked strength. A coaching change in summer 2021 made things worse: she said her new coach did not fully understand her anorexia, and when she told him about it, he responded by suggesting she drink a Coke.
The coach later removed the then-18-year-old, who had by that point sought therapeutic help, from the training group for performance reasons. Kramer called it one of the worst days of her life, saying it took away part of her identity. She switched from swimming to triathlon.
From anorexia to bulimia
The transition brought another setback. Kramer said her anorexia disappeared almost overnight, only for bulimia to take its place. During a study stay in Spain she gained 40 kilograms in a matter of months.
She said she felt so uncomfortable in her own body, and so bloated, that she struggled to leave her room, and was ashamed of herself. She gradually pushed herself to socialize again, completed some university coursework and sought professional help a second time.
Return to Bad Vilbel sparked turnaround
Kramer treated her move back to Bad Vilbel in September 2023 as a turning point. She said she told herself she wanted to give triathlon a genuine chance rather than sit in a darkened room eating, listening to audio dramas and watching Netflix.
The swim club Fun-Ball Dortelweil hired her as a swimming coach, she built new relationships, and in 2024 she entered her first smaller triathlon competitions. Kramer said the sport had, in a way, saved her life, alongside her own efforts, and that it now felt like a permanent part of who she is.
Hawaii dream on hold
Kramer's results improved quickly. She won her age group, 18 to 24, at Ironman Frankfurt in 2025, then finished as the top woman across the entire field a year later.
Despite qualifying, she will not compete at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. The trip would cost around 10,000 euros, money she does not currently have. She is aiming for 2027 instead, hoping to win in Frankfurt again and to have saved the 10,000 euros by then, ideally with help from new sponsors as she looks to turn professional.
Kramer said one goal was already met: proving to everyone who doubted her that she had made it.
