Paris 2024 Olympic triathlon silver medallist Julie Derron has shown the world she’s one of the most versatile athletes in the sport.
Less than two months after standing on the podium in Paris alongside Olympic champion Cassandre Beaugrand and bronze medallist Beth Potter, Derron was making waves over an entirely different distance: the T100 Triathlon World Tour’s 100km.
Three consecutive second place finishes in the T100 series and a fifth at the 70.3 Worlds capped off an incredible year of racing for the Swiss star. And she’s only gone from strength to strength in 2025. Two wins and a second place finish in the T100 races would be impressive enough, but she’s also proven herself over the full distance with a wide-margin win at IRONMAN Vitoria Gasteiz.
So where does that versatility come from, and how is Derron managing the pressure as she comes into the Qatar T100 World Championship final as one of the strongest contenders to take the overall win?
A post-Olympic whirlwind
Many athletes, across all sports, have shared the struggle that can come with the inevitable low after the high of Olympic success. But for Derron, a shift in focus helped her to keep the momentum.
“It was really a whirlwind right after the Olympics,” she shared. “The next few months, I did a lot and I kept racing. I think continuing racing and then stepping into the T100 series really helped me to regain focus.
“The Olympics were such a high, but then changing distances sort of took a little pressure away, because I didn’t have to measure up again over the Olympic distance. I could try myself over something different where I wasn’t proven yet.
“That really helped to just give me a new challenge and put me in a little bit of a different environment, a bit less stressful than the Olympics.”
The key to being able to perform over a range of triathlon distances
The short, sharp racing that we see over the Olympic distance is quite a contrast to the long day out that comes with Iron distance races. But Julie Derron seems to be equipped to excel at all ends of the triathlon spectrum. So what’s the secret? A good team, and a healthy dose of enjoyment.
“I think a lot [of that versatility] comes down to my coach. He’s so experienced and he knows what he’s doing. He always gets us ready for whatever race we need to do. Oftentimes us athletes, we just have to go out and let our body do the work.
“I love the sport, it doesn’t matter what distance. I really enjoy it. So I think that really helps to keep motivated to try your best at every race and every distance.”
Handling the pressure of performing on the world’s biggest stages
Given it was less than 48 hours when I spoke to her until Julie was set to race for the T100 world title (and a $200,000 top prize), her demeanour was remarkably calm and considered. She’s proven time and time again that she’s an athlete who can race her heart out, yet keep a cool head and execute to perfection.
“I think for me [handling the pressure] comes down to a lot of preparation, doing the work in the weeks and months before to feel like you’re physically prepared. But then also preparing for the race in terms of logistics. It’s easier to deal with pressure or stress if you are prepared.
“Of course, you can’t control everything. But control as much as you can and don’t stress about the rest. Just focus on what you’re doing.
“It’s swim, bike and run and usually you will have prepared for that… One thing my coach tells me a lot is that at the end of the day, after a race whether it’s a good one or a bad one, your family and friends – they still love you. So just focus back on that.”
Ready to put on a show
The battle for the T100 World Champion title is incredibly close in the women’s race. A win for Julie would secure her the title, but she’ll have stiff competition from Lucy Charles-Barclay and Kate Waugh. It’s truly all to play for.
“I think for us athletes it’s the same whether it’s the first race of the year or the last,” Julie said. “We all want to win, so for us it’s just about executing.
“But I think for the spectators it will be so exciting to watch and to see the race unfold. I think we will put on a great show. That’s also part of the job for us and part of the fun. The three of us and everyone else on the start line will give their best and it’s going to be exciting.”
