Taylor Knibb admitted she went through a rollercoaster of emotions as she bounced back from Kona heartbreak with second place in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella.
The American phenom looked on course for a first IRONMAN World Championship just four weeks ago only for the heat and humidity to bring her to a standstill with less than 5km to go.
She only got the go-ahead to head to Spain a week and a half before race day but then made an incredibly bold bid for what would have been a record-breaking fourth straight 70.3 Worlds title.
Knibb was closest to Lucy Charles-Barclay after the swim, swapped the lead with her on the bike before reaching T2 with a small advantage.
That brought back memories of Kona where the two of them had also been out on their own before both failed to make it to the finish line – but thankfully this time there was no repeat.
It was Charles-Barclay who proved strongest on the run as she won by almost exactly three minutes but there were also plenty of positives to take from the experience for Knibb – even though that was a world away from how she felt early on.
‘Rookie errors’
Speaking afterwards she said: “I was fully regretting my choices to come here during the swim! It was just rough and I was feeling so seasick.
“On the bike I was a little too excited for the first 40 minutes and then I just died for the last hour and 50 minutes or so! But the course was stunning and I’m very glad I made the trip.
“And then on the run I was like, just go out aggressively but then I blew up. So this might be my ninth 70.3 but I’m still making rookie errors.”
‘I raced again’
When asked if it erased her Kona disappointment, Knibb said: “I don’t think you can ever erase what happens. It’ll always be there.
“But I’m very grateful to be here. I’m grateful that we took a chance and showed up. But congrats to Lucy and her team, she put on a heck of a performance, and it’s very inspiring.
“[My second place] isn’t quite the redemption Lucy had, she raises the bar for all of us.
“But I think I can go into off season now with a little less fear, doubt and uncertainty because I raced again. Anyone who told me my career was done, hopefully it’s not. That’s the biggest thing I worried about.
“I couldn’t have a ton of expectations coming here but it was liberating to be honest. I was just really grateful to be here and see how my body did.
“During the race I had a lot of thoughts for how I want to improve next year, which I think is always a great way to end the season because it’s all going to percolate and hopefully get even better.
“I am thrilled to be in off-season and motivated as ever. That’s what you want – healthy, end of season and onwards.”
That effectively is Taylor ruling out the T100 finale in Qatar which while a shame is completely understandable. She is the reigning champion in that sphere and right up there again.
Are we in a triathlon boom, or hurtling towards burnout? Laura Siddall on the growth of the sport
