Two-time and reigning IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion, Taylor Knibb, got her Paris 2024 Olympic Games under way in wet conditions on Saturday. And to say it was a brutal test would be a massive understatement.
Silver medallist in the Mixed Team Relay Triathlon at Tokyo 2020, the multi-talented Knibb claimed her place in the Women’s Individual Time Trial by winning the US Time Triathlon Championship in May this year, just days after finishing second at WTCS Yokohama.
Disaster strikes for Knibb
The 32.4km course started and finished at the Pont Alexandre III Bridge, the location from which the triathlon events will be based.
Not helped by the wet conditions, there was almost disaster just 7km in. Riding in aero position at full pace on the predominantly flat course, Knibb hit a speedbump at an angle which, for a few seconds, looked like it could have ended her race. Thankfully, she held it upright and was soon back into her rhythm… but if she was lacking any adrenaline before, that would absolutely have put her on full alert. Alas, things would get worse. Significantly so.
Eighth to start, as the first intermediate time check arrived, that incident was seemingly at the back of her mind, as she set the quickest time to date, 30 seconds clear after just 13.1km.
Just ahead, Denmark’s Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig crashed on the slippery roads, reminding us of the risks. Unfortunately, Knibb crashed minutes later at exactly the same spot… before going down again just minutes later. Any medal hopes were surely disappearing – but also, perhaps, concerns for the impacts on her triathlon prospects?
Disaster continues for Taylor
Knibb’s day would go from bad to worse. A third visit to the tarmac followed soon after, and then a mechanical issue required a bike change… during which even the mechanic, along with the spare bike, managed to slip over in the process.
Back up every time, Taylor was now covered in blood from her left knee. Despite all the dramas, Knibb was still in second place at the 22km checkpoint when she went through, but that would surely be eroded as the later riders reached that later sections of the course. There would me no Olympic Games fairytale today.
Triathlon prospects?
Attentions of course will now turn to the triathlon events, and we we can only hope that the scars – physically and mentally – of today’s event, can be overcome before the women’s individual triathlon, which is now just four days away.
We have our fingers crossed that the X-factor of women’s triathlon will be fit and ready to bounce back.
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Individual Women’s Time Trial
Saturday 27th July 2024 – 32.4km
- 1st (GOLD) – Grace Brown (AUS) – 39:38.24
- 2ns (SILVER) – Anna Henderson (GBR) – 41:09.83
- 3rd (BRONZE) – Chloe Dygert (USA) – 41:10.70
- 4th – Juliette Labous (FRA) – 41:19:90
- 5th – Demi Vollering (NED) – 41:29.80
- 19th – Taylor Knibb (USA) – 43:03.46
Triathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
