Search
shop

‘I was going for gold but I’m super happy with bronze’ – Potter’s pride at Olympic display

Eight years on from her previous Olympic appearance on the track, Brit wins bronze after triathlon switch.
News Director
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

She may have been one of the big two favourites for gold alongside eventual winner Cassandre Beaugrand but Britain’s Beth Potter was rightly proud of her bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

It was eight years on since Potter’s previous Olympic appearance which came in the 10,000 metres on the track in Rio.

Her transition to triathlon has been a remarkable one and she was crowned World Champion for the first time last season.

Advertisement

‘I’ve come a long way’

Everything went largely to plan in Paris. A good swim was followed by a strong bike in what were brutal early-morning conditions – strong currents in the River Seine and then slippery cobbles and road markings after overnight downpours.

Starting the run there was everything to play for as Potter was in a select lead group of four alongside home favourites Beaugrand and Emma Lombardi as well as Swiss surprise package Julie Derron.

Beaugrand would kick clear on the fourth and final lap of the 10k run and Derron produced the race of her life so far to take silver just ahead of Potter.

Beth Potter Paris 2024 Olympic Games podium
Beth Potter and her bronze medal [Photo credit: Wagner Araujo | World Triathlon]

And Potter told the BBC afterwards: “I’m just so happy. I was going for the gold, but Cassandre [Beaugrand] and Julie [Derron] were just too good for me today. I’m super happy to come away with a bronze.

“Eight years ago, I watched Vicky [Holland] and Non [Stanford] on Copacabana, and I was on the track team. So yeah, I’ve come a long way in eight years and I’m so happy to be here and win a bronze medal.”

‘Staying out of trouble’

On what the medal means, she added: “I don’t know. I feel like I did it for me, but I also did it for everyone that has helped me in the past eight years and believed in me from day one and yeah, it’s for them.”

Looking at the race – and referencing the testing conditions, she explained: “My coach told me to stay in the top five and try to stay towards the front, and I mainly stayed out of trouble.

“I got caught up behind a couple of crashes on the bike, but managed to stay upright and was just trying to be sensible and not doing anything mad. Just be safe.”

“It said it was going to be dry, but it was obviously very wet. I live and train in Leeds, so I’m used to those conditions, and I’ve done many sessions with the boys in the wet, so I was prepared. I just didn’t want to make any silly mistakes, so I just tried to stay as safe as possible.”

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
Dave Ellis / Luke Pollard - World Para Triathlon Championships Pontevedra 2023
Golden opportunity – British Triathlon launches search for LA2028 paratriathlon guides
IRONMAN Lanzarote 2024 - Anne Haug on run course
Best marathon shoes for Ironman – the ‘legal’ super shoes you CAN wear to level up your run split
Challenge Sanremo 2024 - Photo: Jose Luis Hourcade
How to fuel your triathlon training: Expert nutritionist tips to help you nail every session
swim start IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2024 photo credit Tony Svensson IRONMAN
Level up your Ironman swim split – must-read tips from an expert swim coach
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
latest News
Richard Varga Jonny Brownlee Arzachena
Triathlon legend Jonny Brownlee reveals ‘Last Dance’ motivation behind latest challenge
IRONMAN Kona 2022 Age Group Results
How will “re-imagined” IRONMAN World Championship at Kona actually look for Age Groupers?
Lucy Charles-Barclay IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2023 Finish
IRONMAN World Championship goes ALL IN on Kona again with men and women to race on same day from 2026
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
Nice gets consolation prize of 70.3 Worlds after IRONMAN World Championships return to Kona
Kona scenic 2022 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
The survey results which prompted IRONMAN’s dramatic Kona U-turn
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...