Sam Long believes there is enough in-form talent on the American triathlon circuit to finally challenge Europe’s domination of such prizes as the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship.
Part of a USA 1-2-3 at the North American Championships in Pennsylvania on Sunday, he explained how the standard of athletes is improving all the time and that it was about time they did something to ‘rival these Euros’.
Long finished in second place behind Trevor Foley and ahead of Jason West in what was a predominantly American field at the Happy Valley race. And having seen his compatriots up close and personal, he is in no doubt that standards are continuing to improve.
Looking to redress the 70.3 balance
Of the 19 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship races held since 2006, only Andy Potts has managed to secure victory for the USA; his win came in 2007 when he beat Argentina’s Oscar Galindez and Britain’s Andrew Johns to the tape.
They have come close to adding to that tally, with Long himself one of three athletes who have finished second, along with Chris Lieto in 2011 and Ben Kanute twice in 2017 and 2022.
While there have also been three athletes who have finished third – Matt Reed (2009), Tim O’Donnell (2010), and Rudy Von Berg (2019) – the eight podium finishes out of a possible 57 since 2006 stand as a pretty poor return for a nation which takes its triathlon so seriously.
In contrast, a European has won the 70.3 title 14 times, finished second 11 times, and come in third a further 11 times.
The tell-tale sign for Long that his American colleagues are indeed stepping things up came during the bike section of Sunday’s race, where he, as someone who usually dominates races from the saddle, found himself unable to break away.
‘Try and rival these Euros a little’
When asked post-race if he felt the Americans were raising their game at the 70.3 distance and could now compete against the Europeans, he said: “Absolutely, for sure. It was a great North American championship. We all had fantastic races, and the level keeps getting higher.
“On the bike, I kept thinking like, ‘Oh, my gosh, how are all these guys still with me?’ I thought surely this is going to break them; surely this is going to break them.
“But wow, they were all really strong. And then, even Mark Dubrick was right off the bike with us; all of these North American athletes are rising to the top, you know, to try and rival these Euros a little.”
Long did manage to drag himself up from 28th out of the swim to part of a lead group coming off the bike that also included Matthew Marquardt, Justin Riele, Dubrick and eventual winner Trevor Foley.
‘I did everything I could’
While disappointed not to have been able to go on and win the race, he was pleased with the way in which he had battled with Foley on a run section that saw them both power away from the chasers before his rival made the crucial move with 5km remaining.
As Foley sprinted away, Long could have been forgiven for thinking lightning might strike twice as he struggled in the final stages just as he did at Oceanside earlier this season, when Norway’s Casper Stornes caught him to snatch third place.
But there was to be no blow-up this time, and he was delighted to have held on for third, especially after a week where he arrived in Pennsylvania only to find that his bike and baggage had been lost in Chicago, and he was forced to find a replacement ride and new clothing.
“I guess the lesson from Oceanside was that it really sucks to miss the podium,“ he said. “I came here to win. I’m not going to lie, and it was an amazing battle, and I did everything I could.
“At Oceanside, obviously, I kind of blew up at the end of the run, so I was stronger than that this time around, but I guess I’d expect maybe slightly more out of myself on my best day. I wasn’t, maybe, having quite my best day, but it was still a very good day.
“Trevor was stronger. It was a great battle with him, and he deserves the crown.”
