Search
shop

Waugh looks to round off ‘special year’ with big Abu Dhabi display

Kate Waugh heads into the U23 World Championships full of confidence after her best year so far on the circuit
News Director
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Bib #1 in the women’s race at the U23 World Championships in Abu Dhabi on Friday will be worn by Great Britain’s Kate Waugh.

She heads into the event on the back of a successful 2022 season, with highlights including an individual podium place at the World Triathlon Cup in Bergen, a gold medal after anchoring a young Team GB to victory in the Mixed Relay at WTCS Hamburg and a full campaign in Super League Triathlon’s Championship Series.

Advertisement

Every second counts

And when we caught up with Waugh it was clear that those short, sharp Super League races have been a key part of her development this year.

She told us: “It’s been the best year I’ve had so far. It’s been really cool to be part of the Super League circuit and be involved with the top guys.

“You’re literally racing with the best in the world so you can learn so much.

“You’re forced to learn quickly in Super League, you don’t have as much time, whether it’s a technical bike course or thinking on your feet, so it’s been great to gain that experience.

“And the back-to-back nature of it means that you can quickly try and put things into practice in the next race.

“I feel that while I may not have been always getting the best results on paper each week in Super League, in terms of using skills in racing I’ve definitely improved.

Final flourish

“And to back it up with a World Cup podium and good results at WTCS, it’s been a really special year for me and I hope I can just continue that to the end of the season now,” she said in reference to Friday’s Abu Dhabi contest. 

Looking back to that gold medal in Hamburg, Waugh added: “I don’t think any of us expected to win the race. 

kate waugh mixed relay hamburg 2022 photo credit world triathlon
Kate Waugh helps Great Britain win Mixed Relay at WTCS Hamburg in 2022 [Photo credit: World Triathlon]

“We thought we had a good chance of a podium so it was really cool to be in the running, all the more so for me on the final leg. We were such a young team and the fact we all just had really good legs in that race made it even more special. It was so nice to share the podium with all the guys I’ve grown up with.”

Looking ahead to the off season, Waugh will be kept busy focussing on the third discipline of the sport, explaining: “I’ve had to deal with some injury issues this season so have missed some running.

“That’s been really challenging so I’m looking forward to getting in a good, consistent winter of running training. I’ve also deferred Uni for a year just so I can crack on with no distractions.”

Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  
Discover more
TRI247 podcast p/b Challenge Family episode 2
Go behind the scenes at Challenge Roth with the latest episode of the TRI247 podcast
Cadomotus Chronos triathlon cycling shoes
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Challenge Family Roth
Five things you need to know about the Challenge Roth bike course
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
TRI-FIT VANGUARD tri suit review
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
latest News
ironman hamburg 2025 podium laura philipp kat matthews solveig lovseth beer
Challenge Roth 2025: Laura Philipp backed to make triathlon history by crashing through magical time barrier
Challenge Roth press conference 2025
Challenge Roth 2025: Date, start times, how to watch live and who’s racing
Georgia Taylor Brown wins supertri Toulouse 2024
British Olympic legend Georgia Taylor-Brown to make triathlon return
Gwen Jorgensen reflective World Triathlon Cup Vina del Mer 2023
‘Unbreakable’ Gwen Jorgensen ‘bruised’ after bike crash but vows to bounce back
IRONMAN CEO Scott DeRue Women For Tri 2024
IRONMAN announce new age-group qualification system for Kona and 70.3 Worlds
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...