Dame Flora Duffy On T100 Tour And More
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Dame Flora Duffy said she is excited to be heading into unfamiliar territory as she prepares for her first T100 Triathlon World Tour race for two years.
The five-time Olympian, who competes in the fifth leg of the eight-race series in Ibiza, Spain, tomorrow [September 28], is entering a new phase of her career and is enjoying feeling like a “rookie”.
Duffy placed sixth and ninth in her previous two T100 races in 2022. She will be testing herself over 100 kilometres [2km swim, 80km bike, 18km run].
“It’s been great to shift gears and focus to the T100,” Duffy told the T100 Triathlon tour.
“It’s a completely new part of triathlon. It’s very exciting to be at this part of my career and be a rookie, nervous, and uncomfortable going into a distance.
“I’m not fully prepared – I’ve only been on my TT bike for five weeks now. I rode it a bit in 2022 and then didn’t touch it. It’s all-new, the fuelling, the distance, the people you’re racing.”
For Duffy, the shift to longer races is refreshing after her extensive career in short-course triathlons.
“If I had to continue racing in more short-course races for the rest of the year, I’d definitely not be as excited, and things would be dragging more,” she said.
The race will mark Duffy’s first competitive outing since finishing fifth at the Olympic Games in Paris six weeks ago, an event she describes as a bittersweet experience.
“I left Paris really disappointed,” she said. “I hoped for more at my final Olympics.
“I went in as the defending champion and off the back of a tough injury, but I hoped to be fighting for the podium.
“I was just off it in fifth, which for most people is a great position.
“When I look back on that result in a few years I will be proud. At the moment, though, it hits pretty deep that I was off my goal, and I won’t be going back in four years to fight for the podium.
“That was a tough pill to swallow. Post-Olympics, it’s nice to be doing something new.”
Reflecting on her previous T100 races, Duffy acknowledged the steep learning curve.
She competed in two 2022 events — the US Open in Dallas and the Collins Cup in Samorin, Slovakia — back when the T100 was known as the PTO Tour.
Both races were eye-opening for the triathlete.
“They were huge learning curves for me, and I didn’t leave either with fond memories,” Duffy said. “The distance completely beat me up and humbled me – not that I went in with any expectations to win it.
“I was in a bit over my head and learned a lot about fuelling and nutrition. Something probably will go wrong, but because it’s such a long race, you will get the opportunity to correct it.”
In Ibiza, Duffy will be facing a formidable line-up of women’s triathletes, including Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle, Britain’s Lucy Charles-Barclay, and Americans Taylor Spivey and Taylor Knibb.
Duffy identified Knibb and Gentle as top contenders, noting their successful transition from short-course to longer-distance events.
“The people to look for are Taylor Knibb and Ashleigh Gentle, who are both really good short-course athletes who have stepped up really well,” she added. “Paula Findlay is super strong on the bike.”
As she looks ahead, Duffy knows her performance in Ibiza will be crucial if she hopes to secure a contract for next year’s T100 series.
With only three races remaining in the season — Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas in October, and the World Championship Final in Dubai in November — Duffy acknowledges the pressure to perform.
“I don’t have much wriggle room,” she said. “If I want to do well in the series, I essentially have to do super well in the next two races.
“It’s a little nerve-racking. I would like to race this series next year and get a contract.
“That’s definitely weighing heavily on my mind. I can’t screw up [in Ibiza]. I need to keep it fun and light and enjoy learning a new process of triathlon.”
Jointly launched by the Professional Triathletes Organisation [PTO] and governing body World Triathlon, the T100 features eight 100-kilometre races and includes a prize pot worth $7 million, with each race having a $250,000 prize fund, including $25,000 for the winner.
