IRONMAN World Champion Sam Laidlow reveals why he feels part of triathlon’s elite at last ahead of 2024 Kona bid

Sam Laidlow’s T100 win in London in July was a watershed moment for the reigning IRONMAN World Champion.

That impressive win for the Frenchman was not only his first in the series – it changed his entire mindset for the rest of the 2024 triathlon season. It also left him feeling that he is now part of triathlon’s elite.

Last September the 25-year-old produced the performance of his life to run out a brilliant winner of the IRONMAN World Championship on home soil in Nice. That came just a year after his breakthrough second place in Kona.

Tough start to 2024 for Laidlow

Laidlow’s 2024 did not start in auspicious fashion – he finished 9th in the brutal heat of T100 Miami, and followed up with a DNF in Singapore.

Then came another disappointing day at IRONMAN Vitoria-Gasteiz when Sam was disqualified for failing to serve a drafting penalty on the bike leg. He continued to race under protest though and later received the good news that, per IRONMAN rules, he had done enough to validate his spot for Kona in October.

So when Laidlow arrived in London in July he had much to prove, to himself as much as to his fans and critics. He answered all of the questions in terrific style by romping to an impressive victory. It was a huge weight off his shoulders, in many ways.

He was asked during his mid-season video update on YouTube (watch the full version at the foot of this article) whether he now feels pressure going into Kona, and the answer was enlightening.

T100 London win a major validation

“To be honest, if you’d asked me this question before London, I would have said ‘yes I do’. Now, this race has really helped me actually, it’s really switched my mindset, because I felt like to win one of these races validated my level not just in Ironman but also where the best guys race.

“I feel like it’s a very elitist group – the people that are IRONMAN World Champion and that have won a T100 race. There’s only the Norwegians and Jan [Frodeno]. So I feel like I’m happy with what I’ve ticked off on my CV already – I’m content with that and I’m content with my career.”

Now Laidlow will head for T100 Ibiza later this month, before he travels straight on to Kona to prepare for the biggest test of all on the ‘Big Island’. He’s a man who feels zero pressure, a dangerous opponent to all.

A Kona win would be gravy for Sam

“Whatever happens next, it’s great. I’ve got a lot of years ahead of me and if I win Kona this year, great. If I don’t, doesn’t matter. Of course I want to win and I’m going to do everything for that. But yeah, I’ve got nothing to prove, I’ve proven myself over the T100 and I’ve proven myself over Ironman.

“I just want to enjoy it really now. I really love to race World Championships and I really love to race in Kona. So I’m just gonna go there and as much as possible, enjoy riding fast and gritting my teeth for a marathon.”