British triathlon star battles through gruelling season to grab T100 global glory
Kate Waugh defied her own doubts to cap a ‘dream’ season with the T100 Triathlon world title.
The British star went into the race knowing victory would guarantee a maiden global crown and delivered despite the pressure, shaking off compatriots Lucy Charles-Barclay and Jess Learmonth to power home.
The 26-year-old only made her debut over the 100km distance at the start of the year but quickly became one of the front-runners following victory on debut in Singapore.
Five-successive podiums to send her to the final in Qatar as the front-runner and the Gateshead native duly delivered with an assured performance, despite her own belief wavering at times amidst sweltering conditions.
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“I can’t believe it,” she said. “It has been a dream year.
“To finish with a win and to be world champion as well is so surreal, I did not expect it. I am so happy.
“It has been a long season and it was hard, mentally, to hold it together. This was my seventh T100 and I started to doubt whether I had asked too much of myself this year.
“They are long races, so it is really hard to stay focussed for the whole time. I have done quite a lot of work with a mental ciach to bring myself back when I am drifting.
“It was a really tough day but I am absolutely buzzing that I managed to win.”
Waugh was hot on the tail of well-renowned swimmer Charles-Barclay and took the lead after the first transition.
An all-British leading pack of Waugh, Charles-Barclay, and Learmonth soon emerged on the bike and Waugh was able to seize a small advantage with another quick transition before striking clear on the run.
Georgia Taylor-Brown and Julie Derron tried to reel her in but Waugh was well clear as she came down the finish – with enough time for an unexpected stop metres before the line.
“I knew it was going to take everything today and it quite literally did – I have never thrown up on a finish line before” she added.
“I am absolutely mortified! I don’t want to see those photos!
“On the last lap, I really started to suffer. I was getting a bit wobbly and my head started spinning.
“Towards the finish line I could feel my stomach – I don’t want to watch those videos!
“I did it but it was not pretty.”
Waugh’s victory asserts her status as one of the leading talents in women’s triathlon, a field crowded by a number of Brits including Charles-Barclay and Learmonth.
It also pockets the 26-year-old an extra $200,000 on top of her earnings throughout the season, with the T100 Tour paying out over $8m over the course of the series.
Waugh revealed some of her windfall will go towards attempting to say thank you to her parents.
“No present would be worthy of what they have given me throughout the years,” she said.
“I would not be here without them and their endless belief and support in me. I am lucky to have parents like them.”