Helping ‘more women participate in sport’ is what it’s all about for Pallant-Browne

IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea winner Emma Pallant-Browne will focus on Europe rather than the United States in her build-up to the 70.3 Worlds in Lahti, Finland on 26 August.

The South African-based Brit has now won eight middle-distance races since last May and is currently #9 in the PTO rankings.

Focus on Lahti

She was third last year at the 70.3 World Championship and runner-up in 2017 and, speaking to TRI247 after her Swansea success she said: “The 70.3 Worlds is the big goal and I’ll be doing the Europeans leading into that [the IRONMAN 70.3 European Championship in Tallinn on 6 August] rather than the PTO US Open.

“South Africa to Europe is very easy to travel overnight, whereas America is like a whole other game.”

It’s four years since she last raced in Britain and she added: “It’s so nice to be back – I can’t believe how long it’s been but it’s always great to race here.

“I think the bike was really challenging – it was a tough course and there are all the technical bits. I was trying to keep Sif [Bendix Madsen] in sight, but then she disappeared so I just tried to at least hold a bit of time and was happy to rely on the run.”

Good to talk

Looking ahead to the next few weeks, she added: “I’m going to have a hard kind of block when I go back to South Africa, so will go to the Europeans with a good bit of work behind me and then taper up for the 70.3 Worlds.

“I have never raced in Finland but we’re getting there nice and early and will scout it out.”

Pallant-Browne won widespread praise recently for her response after a picture of her on her period at the PTO European Open went viral.

Asked about that she said: “I feel it’s such an important kind of subject and I didn’t want to not talk about it afterwards.

“I had so many requests and I find it hard to say no so I was doing a lot of interviews, a lot of podcasts, but also learning a lot when I talk to people.

“I’m making some good relationships and if you can help more women participate in sport, for me, that’s what this is all about. So it’s been really good.”