GB’s 29-year-old Lucy cements her incredible comeback and World Triathlon Long Distance Championship win with second place at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, USA.
Former elite swimmer Lucy Charles-Barclay went full gas from the gun, putting in the strongest swim of the day to rapidly take several hundred yards out of a stacked field. The British triathlete navigated the Pacific swell in 50:57 and was first to leave the water with over half a minute on her nearest rival.
Heading out of T1, Charles-Barclay continued to make her podium intentions clear with a blisteringly fast pace over the entire 180 km bike course. On board her CUBE Aerium C:68X prototype, Lucy Charles-Barclay battled it out at the front with Fenella Langridge with the two averaging speeds of over 40 kph. Their aggressive racing allowed Charles-Barclay and Langridge to extend their lead over the first half of the race. The pair were then caught at the tail end of the bike leg by multiple Ironman and Ironman 70.3 world champion Daniela Ryf.
It was neck and neck as all three headed into T2. As the athletes took to the marathon leg, GB’s Charles-Barclay was the first to open up a gap back to second and third. But it was US triathlete and eventual winner Chelsea Sodaro who set the most aggressive run pace to edge ahead into first place. Lucy Charles-Barclay stuck to her race plan and dug deep to hold off 2019 Ironman winner Anne Haug despite the latter’s running strength. Lucy Charles-Barclay crossed the line with a finish time of 8:41:37 and her fourth silver medal in Hawaii.
“To come away with a second place today means a lot more to me than all the other 2nd places. It feels like a win. I had consistent energy throughout the whole day and the bike was just perfect,” said Lucy at the post-race press conference. The four-time runner-up at the Ironman Worlds plans to stay on in the United States and will next take to the start line at the 70.3. Ironman World Championship in St. George, Utah, on 28 October.
