Search
shop

Olympic champion Flora Duffy makes emotional comeback at WTCS Yokohama

Olympic Champion Flora Duffy, who had been sidelined from racing for over 500 days, made her top tier return at WTCS Yokohama and finished with an impressive seventh place finish.
Staff Reporter
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Short course legend Flora Duffy made a remarkable return to racing last weekend, as the Olympic Champion raced for the first time in over 500 days at WTCS Yokohama.

Having last competed in November 2022 at the WTCS Grand Final in Abu Dhabi, which she won, the Bermudian has struggled with a persistent knee injury which has hampered her training for the past 18 months.

Aiming to become the first female triathlete to ever defend their Olympic title, this weekend’s result was more than a step in the right direction, as the 36-year-old impressed with a strong swim, bike and run.

Advertisement

“I had to come back from the dead”

Having lost almost 20 seconds over the first lap of the 1500m swim, it looked like Duffy would miss the front pack. However, she remarkably made up the deficit over the second lap, exiting with the leaders and making the breakaway group on to the bike.

Riding strongly, Duffy never looked out of place on the bike and was ever present at the front of the race, as the lead pack of athletes built up a comfortable buffer over the chasers, which included 2016 Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen.

Out on the run, the Bermudian didn’t have the legs to battle for the podium, but still ran a strong 10km to finish in seventh, mixing it up with some of the best athletes from the last 12 months all the way to the finish line.

Next up, Duffy will race at WTCS Cagliari in a fortnight, where she will face off against fellow gold medal contenders Beth Potter and Cassandre Beaugrand, before the final stretch into the Olympic on July 31.

Tomos Land
Written by
Tomos Land
Tomos Land is a triathlon & running journalist whose expertise lies in the professional world of short course & long distance triathlon, though he also boasts an extensive knowledge of ultra-running.
Discover more
Dave Ellis / Luke Pollard - World Para Triathlon Championships Pontevedra 2023
Golden opportunity – British Triathlon launches search for LA2028 paratriathlon guides
IRONMAN Lanzarote 2024 - Anne Haug on run course
Best marathon shoes for Ironman – the ‘legal’ super shoes you CAN wear to level up your run split
Challenge Sanremo 2024 - Photo: Jose Luis Hourcade
How to fuel your triathlon training: Expert nutritionist tips to help you nail every session
swim start IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2024 photo credit Tony Svensson IRONMAN
Level up your Ironman swim split – must-read tips from an expert swim coach
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
latest News
Taylor Knibb 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Taupo New Zealand
US triathlon phenom Taylor Knibb hails great rival Kat Matthews for record-breaking IRONMAN Texas win
Richard Varga Jonny Brownlee Arzachena
Triathlon legend Jonny Brownlee reveals ‘Last Dance’ motivation behind latest challenge
IRONMAN Kona 2022 Age Group Results
How will “re-imagined” IRONMAN World Championship at Kona actually look for Age Groupers?
Lucy Charles-Barclay IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2023 Finish
IRONMAN World Championship goes ALL IN on Kona again with men and women to race on same day from 2026
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
Nice gets consolation prize of 70.3 Worlds after IRONMAN World Championships return to Kona
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...