Sam Long says the bar has been significantly raised in the T100 Triathlon World Tour this season.
The American star opened up his season with an eighth place at T100 Singapore – but insists he performed better compared to when he was second there in 2024.
The ‘Big Unit’ worked hard on his swim over winter, produced 15 watts more on the bike in Singapore and says his run is up there with the best – yet all of that wasn’t enough to get him anywhere near the podium.
‘They’re legit’
And in his latest YouTube video, which is embedded below, he admits: “I’ve spent a week having to re-figure out my reality. I have to recalibrate what I think success is.”
And he believes the main reason for the change has been more top short-course stars stepping into the T100 arena.
Olympic silver medallist Hayden Wilde took a clear-cut victory in the men’s race in Singapore while Kate Waugh was the runaway women’s winner on her T100 debut.
And world number 14 Long pointed out: “The pot of athletes is bigger this year, it’s more competitive. Because we’ve had people come over from ITU, from the Olympics. The top guys from the Olympics are here and they’re legit – they are very, very fast.
“It’s great to see how good they are and I’m going to have work to do in the T100. Frankly I got exactly what I signed up for in the T100 this year.”
Changing dynamics
Looking more specifically at his own race, he asked: “How is it that I performed better and yet now I’m at eighth place and last year I was second?
“Well, I think dynamics really affected the race, certainly for someone like me, that’s what I learned.
“Guys are wanting to push the swim – Vincent Luis is pushing the swim and he’s bringing five or so others with him [Long exited the water 5:36 behind leader Luis].
“And then they are trying to get rid of Hayden Wilde so they are motivated to work well together on the bike. That’s what I’m up against and I’m okay with that challenge and I’m going to do the best I can.
“I’m going to have to re-centre my baseline because honest-to-god I expect I’m now going to be about eighth in these T100 races and it’s going to take a lot for me to get up on the podium.
“We all want to be on the podium but I’m a guy that’s used to being on the podium, who is used to winning over the last five years and more.
“I’ve spent a week having to re-figure out my reality. I have to recalibrate what I think success is because I did execute what I thought was a great race in Singapore – and one that was better than a year ago.
“It’s going to harden me and it’s going to make me a better athlete where I can then use my strengths.
“I am happy with my performance and I’m hungry for more, it’s motivating.”
There’s now a break until the next T100 in San Francisco at the end of May but before then Long will take on the likes of Oceanside winner Lionel Sanders at IRONMAN 70.3 St George.
And he added: “I’m hungry for St George and I am willing to hurt myself to be the best I can be there. I hope to not be eighth place!”
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