There’s been an outpouring of sympathy and support from around the triathlon world for Sophie Coldwell after she missed out on a spot for this summer’s Olympic Games triathlon at Paris 2024.
Team GB announced earlier on Wednesday (June 19) that the already-qualified Beth Potter would be joined by Georgia Taylor-Brown and Kate Waugh, with Coldwell only a reserve, just as she was in Tokyo.
All four women are in the top 15 in the world rankings but it was an especially bitter pill for Coldwell to swallow given the fact she had outperformed Waugh in the ‘priority race’ in Cagliari late last month.
An “angry” Coldwell has since said she feels “let down” by her federation and the selection and appeals process.
And we have spoken to British Triathlon for their perspective on what they say was “an incredibly difficult” decision.
‘Here is you need someone’
Team GB aren’t the only nation to have had tricky discretionary calls – France had similar strength in depth on the men’s side with Vincent Luis the unlucky one, while Team USA had a tightly-packed group of women vying for their final spots.
And one of those knows better than almost anyone how Coldwell must be feeling.
For Taylor Spivey controversially missed out on selection for Tokyo, though she has made it to Paris this year.
And responding to Coldwell’s Instagram post, Spivey penned a heartfelt message as she wrote: “I dont know what to say other than I know how this feels Soph 💔
“This does not define you as an athlete. You’re a mf machine & gritty af. I absolutely love racing you. You always race with nothing less than your full heart.
“Here if you need someone who’s been on the other side of it. ❤️”
Olympics wait over for Spivey
Spivey will race for America alongside Taylor Knibb, who booked an automatic place with her result in last year’s Paris Test Event, and Kirsten Kasper.
Team USA had nominated WTCS Yokohama on 11th May as their ‘Automatic Selection Event No. 3’.
And though no athlete qualified automatically from that race, Knibb (second), Spivey (fourth) and Kasper (fifth) were the highest-placed, with Gwen Jorgensen next best in 15th.
