Marten Van Riel admits his Olympics disappointment helped fuel his brilliant performance at T100 Ibiza.
The contrast could hardly have been more stark. He was just 22nd in the individual race at Paris 2024 in what were his third Olympics, and then there was more frustration as illness meant his Belgium team weren’t even able to take part in the Mixed Team Relay. Yet two months later here he was, delivering a near-perfect display in Ibiza on Saturday.
Speaking to the legend that is Jan Frodeno on the T100 Triathlon World Tour’s ‘Walk & Talk’ video which is embedded at the foot of this article, Van Riel explained how the step up in distance has helped him turn everything around.
His middle-distance record was already incredible before Ibiza – five wins out of five, including that epic three-way sprint finish at T100 San Francisco. But he arguably went to the next level last weekend, fighting back from a wrong turn early on the bike with fellow leader Sam Laidlow, which dropped them from the front to the back of the pack.
They overcame that in terrific style as they went on to dominate the run before Van Riel kicked clear with 3km remaining to become the first man to notch two T100 wins.
‘I felt like I wasn’t even part of the Games’
Frodeno of course knows exactly what it takes to win both Olympic gold and then set new standards at middle and full-distance.
And speaking first about the Olympic disappointment, Van Riel admitted: “It was always going to be very tough to win the Olympics. The day in Paris was horrible to be honest. I just had nothing. 22nd place, very disappointed. And then one of our girls got sick as well so we didn’t even do the team relay.
“And I kind of felt lost in the village. I felt like I wasn’t even part of the Games. That was mentally a very, very big blow so then after that the mind wasn’t in a very good position.
“You know mind and body is always connected so I struggled a bit in training as well.”
‘Make or break’ time
And explaining how he negotiated his way out of that low, Van Riel said: “In the last two weeks I started clicking again and really getting motivated because obviously my season wasn’t over – the T100 was always going to be a big goal as well and I knew I had to make it happen.
“I’m better suited for this [100km] format – it’s a bit less of a running race. At the Olympics unfortunately I couldn’t back up my San Francisco form – but I think I’m very close to that now, or maybe better already.
“It’s always been my strength that I’m good in all three disciplines but maybe not exceptional in one,” he added – something which was underlined by the fact that he led at various points on the swim, bike and run in Ibiza.
And enjoying the sport again has been a key component too as he told Frodeno: “Sport still has to be fun – and the Olympics wasn’t.
“I honestly don’t think I got the most out of my short-distance career and I really don’t want to make the same ‘mistake’ maybe in my long-distance career.
“I really want to bring the best out of myself and I kind of know it has to happen now with the new T100 series, we’re getting a really big opportunity.
“For me it’s really the moment to do it – I have to either make or break my career now. I get extra fuel out of wanting to do it good.”
Van Riel couldn’t have done more in the T100 this season and another good performance in the last ‘regular’ race at Lake Las Vegas will make him the overwhelming favourite for the overall men’s title.
