Radka Kahlefeldt is a professional triathlete hailing from the Czech Republic who focuses on Ironman 70.3 events (also known as the Half Ironman distance). She married Australian professional triathlete Brad Kahlefeldt in December 2016 and together they became parents to Ruby in January 2018. In March 2021, the Kahlefeldts welcomed their second daughter – Indiana.

Radka has always been an athlete. Though she claims “ball games” were never her thing, she’s a self-professed athletic nomad, competing in everything from tennis to biathlon and was even on the Czech national Nordic skiing team until 2000. Once finding triathlon, Radka excelled in ITU races and found her way into the Olympic history books, competing in London 2012. After turning her focus to Olympic and half iron-distance racing, she’s stacked up double-digit victories. It goes without saying, Radka is happiest on the start line.

In 2017 when Radka announced she was expecting her first child, she was so happy—but also nervous. It’s a stage in a professional athlete’s life that is unique to women. Would she be able to train through pregnancy; would her body recover after giving birth; would she ever be as strong as she once was; would her sponsors keep supporting her? Radka was entering the unknown.

After Ruby entered the world, everything changed. There were no more coffee rides or training rides together with husband, Brad. Most of her training moved indoors to be near Ruby – not just because she had too, but because she wanted to spend every moment she could with her family.

With her limited time, Radka drilled down on focused, high-intensity training sessions. And in those training sessions, with Ruby always nearby, she found a strength she didn’t know she had. A new level of power—a superpower.

Radka’s first international triathlon win came 11 weeks after giving birth at Ironman 70.3 Davao. After that, she tallied six more wins, four additional podium finishes, and a fifth-place at Ironman 70.3 World Championships in South Africa, her best finish at Worlds—yet. On all accounts, Radka had become the best version of herself after giving birth to her daughter.

“Ruby makes me a better person because I want her to see a good example, not just as an athlete but as a human being,” says Radka.

In 2020, Radka and family opened Wagga Swim Hub, a purpose-built swim school complex for all ages and abilities. With races canceled and plenty of uncertainty due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Radka found joy in the community and seeing children learning to be active and swim. And, when they announced they were expecting another addition to the family, Radka vowed to keep her virtual community updated on everything she was going through via Instagram – from dealing with gestational diabetes to dealing with a 3-year-old, all on top of training full-time.

“Sticking to my routine of swim, bike and run was the best thing to keep me happy, healthy and sane,” said Radka about her second pregnancy. “I was pretty lucky, I could run comfortably all the way up to my delivery date; I even ran 8km the day before we had little Indi!”

Up next for Radka, Brad, Ruby, and Indiana? The schedule for 2021 is full – to say the least – between running Wagga Swim Hub, Brad training for marathons, Radka training for her first full-distance Ironman, and parenting two little girls.

“Having two little girls at home is much busier, but I miss racing and I will be back. Brad and I will just have to be even more organized and committed than when we only had Ruby,” said Radka, adding, “My mum thinks I’m crazy!”