Paris Olympic Games qualification hangs in the balance for British stars as waiting game begins

In the final race of the Olympic qualification period, the British women knocked it out of the park at WTCS Cagliari, with five athletes – Beth Potter, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Sophie Coldwell, Kate Waugh and Sian Rainsley – finishing in the Top 20.

Reigning world champion Potter, who has already secured her spot for the Paris Olympics, finished in third, with GTB in sixth, Coldwell in seventh, Waugh in tenth and Rainsley finishing in 20th.

Now, with only two spots available alongside Potter in Paris, the British selection committee face the conundrum of choosing between Taylor-Brown, Coldwell and Waugh to represent the Union Jack in the French capital.

Whatever will be, will be!

For Taylor-Brown, who won the silver medal behind Flora Duffy in the individual race in Tokyo, the journey to making her second Olympic team has been full of setbacks, but the 30-year-old is now in pole position for Paris selection.

Having won here last season, GTB used her experience to her advantage when it mattered, and bested Coldwell and Waugh in a race that will be weighted heavily by British Triathlon in the selection process.

Racing her first WTCS in almost a year, the former world champion said that she gave it her all, and will now just wait and see if she gets the call up for the Olympics.

“I came to Cagliari to fight for my second Olympic Games spot and I hope I did enough. I arrived fit and healthy and ready to get back into World Triathlon Series racing after nearly a year out! Not much has changed, it’s still fast, fun, terrifying but oh so rewarding!

“It was a nerve wracking and important weekend for a lot of athletes out there and I wish the absolute best for everyone but know that whatever happens, you worked your little bum off, poured your heart into it and gave it your all, be PROUD!”

“I did all I could today”

Coldwell, who finished three seconds behind Taylor-Brown in Cagliari, will hope her seventh place finish will be enough to secure a first Olympic berth this summer.

The Brit, who like GTB won an Olympic distance WTCS race last season in Yokohama, has proven over the last 12 months that she can race for victory at the highest level.

Reflecting on her race and this past Olympic cycle, the 29-year-old underlined just how competitive Team GB is, and why it has taken everything she has had over the past 18 months to be in contention.

“I couldn’t have done any more. Today was the last race in the qualification period for the Olympic Games and was weighted heavily by British Triathlon in our selection process.

“It’s no secret that over the last 18 months I really have put everything into trying to qualify for the team but when you’re from a country with women as strong as ours it’s never going to be easy.

“I did all I could today – maybe it’s enough, maybe it’s not but either way I’m proud of myself (don’t think I’ve ever really said that!) for my commitment to the dream.”

Emotions run high for Waugh

At the finish line in Cagliari, an emotional Waugh said that “it was not what I wanted to do, and it is in the hands of the selectors now. I don’t think I can do better than that.”

Based off the results in Sardinia, Waugh would be the athlete who misses out, but her success over the past 12 months, in particular at the WTCS Finals in Pontevedra last year, could sway the selectors.

The 25-year-old has finished in the Top 10 on each of her last four WTCS appearances, with seventh at the Paris Test Event, where she finished ahead of Coldwell, plus second in Pontevedra massively benefiting her suitability for selection.

Waugh also finished ahead of Coldwell last month when the pair raced head-to-head in Melilla at a Europe Triathlon Cup, but that was over the sprint distance and thus will count for less than her Olympic distance results.

Posting on social media after the race, Waugh said that things are now out of her hands, but that she has spent the season preparing to peak at the end of July for the most important race of the season.

“Being the best athlete I can be at the Olympics has been my ambition since I understood its significance. In 2022 my target was to peak for the U23 World Championships, and in 2023 to peak for the Grand Final in Pontevedra and become Super League Champion.

“My target for this year? To be the best I can be at the end of July. Being in the worlds Top 10 is no comfort and its out of my hands now. Rest assured this girl will never give up! So grateful to my support network and good luck to all who make it to Paris.”