She’s arguably the hardest of the favourites to weigh up ahead of the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona but there have been two fascinating insights this week into Taylor Knibb.
The American superstar has been pretty much unbeatable at middle-distance in the last few years.
She showed her versatility at last summer’s Olympics where she raced both the triathlon, leading the US to silver in the Mixed Team Relay, and the road bike time trial. And then she rounded out the year by becoming both the T100 World Champion and 70.3 World Champion, the latter for the third straight year.
This season hasn’t quite hit those heights – yet. But it feels as if the campaign has been geared to the business part of the year, starting with Kona.
Kona more than a goal
That will be just her third full-distance race after a debut fourth on the Big Island two years ago and then a runner-up spot to Kat Matthews at IRONMAN Texas earlier in this campaign.
And in the latest ‘The Feed’ video from Talbot Cox, embedded below, she says: “Is Kona the goal – yeah but it’s more than that. It’s a chance to go all in and see what I’m capable of.
“I’m not chasing anything, I’m exploring. There’s a difference. I’m not doing this for anyone’s approval. It’s not about proving anything. It’s just me doing what I love, until I don’t anymore.”
‘Her best is still ahead of her’
And that last line leads in nicely to a post from six-time Kona winner Mark Allen, who reckons Knibb’s best years are ahead of her – a frightening prospect for her rivals.
He wrote on Instagram: “Taylor Knibb is one of the most exciting athletes I’ve seen in years. She’s fearless, explosive, and already a force across every distance she touches. When she jumps on the bike, the race shifts. She rides with power that doesn’t just challenge the field – it changes the race itself.
“But here’s the paradox: as incredible as Taylor is right now, her best is still ahead of her. Because in triathlon, unlike many sports, older is better.
“Taylor is already a star, but the beauty of her story is that it’s just beginning. At 26, she hasn’t yet raced with the weight of a decade of experience behind her. She hasn’t yet felt the deep calm that comes when you know exactly how to navigate every mile, every setback, every surge.
“That’s the version of Taylor Knibb I can’t wait to see. The one who will pair her fearless fire with the mastery that only time gives. And when that happens, she won’t just win races – she’ll define an era.
“In triathlon, the greatest gift is time. And Taylor’s time is only just beginning.”
And next week in Kona, Knibb – despite her relative inexperience at the distance – will start as one of the favourites alongside Lucy Charles-Barclay, Laura Philipp and Matthews in a race for the ages.
