Dame Flora Duffy Highlighted By World Triathlon

Olympic gold medalist Dame Flora Duffy will defend her title against 54 other athletes on July 31 at the women’s individual triathlon, with World Triathlon highlighting her and her competition ahead of the event.

A World Triathlon story said, “At 8am on Wednesday 31 July, 55 athletes will line up in Paris for only the seventh women’s individual triathlon in Olympic history, ready to put years of hard work and training into the chase for the biggest prize in sport: an Olympic gold medal.

“Among them, the defending champion and the only Bermudian ever to win Olympic gold: Flora Duffy. Starting a record-equalling 5th Games, both she and Tokyo silver medallist Georgia Taylor-Brown [GBR] have had their preparations hampered by injuries but have recently returned to something approaching their very best. And with their remarkable abilities and determination, that could still be enough.

“Among those standing in their way will be the two athletes who hoovered up the 2023 Series gold medals in their absence; defending World Champion Beth Potter [GBR] and Cassandre Beaugrand [FRA]. The hosts also have last year’s no.3 Emma Lombardi and WTCS Yokohama champion Leonie Periault to call upon, while Germany’s resurgence is in the hands of Laura Lindemann, Lisa Tertsch and Nina Eim. Along with the USA and GB, they are the only teams to qualify three women, Taylor Knibb spearheading American hopes.

“Save the date: Women’s Paris 2024 individual triathlon: 8am Paris time, Wednesday 31 July.

As it pertains to the Bermudian triathlete, the WTS said, “Olympic Champion. Four-time World Champion. Two-time Commonwealth Champion. Flora Duffy is already in the realm of being the greatest triathlete of all time. Victory in Paris would surely bring with it GOAT status once and for all.

“The knee injury that took her out of racing for 18 months now repaired, and with no ill effects from an encouraging return to the top flight at WTCS Yokohama, Duffy has been able to focus on getting back to something like full firepower. The swim looks dialled, the bike is still one of the best on the circuit, the run likewise. As long as the body allows, this could be DuffyTime once more.

“The famous battles with Georgia Taylor-Brown both in Tokyo and across the 2022 season that lit up triathlon could return, possibly for the last time, on the streets of Paris. Whether Taylor-Brown could have challenged Duffy all the way to the Olympic gold had she not suffered a puncture on the final lap three years ago, we shall never know. Whether she can outfox her great rival this time around, only time will tell. Sixth place at WTCS Cagliari was enough to put and doubts over her GB selection to bed, and she will likely be right there with Duffy again on all three disciplines.”

You can read the full story here on Triathlon.org.

The start list for elite women at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games follows below [PDF here]:

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