Sam Laidlow has a difficult start to the season
Sam Laidlow, has confirmed to his followers that his return to the highest level is not being an easy road.
After a 2024 full of ups and downs, the world champion of HOMBRE DE HIERRO In 2023, he dreamed of once again dominating long-distance events in 2025. However, his latest comments on social media have set off alarm bells: he claims that health problems continue to hinder his preparation.
A beginning full of doubts
Laidlow was synonymous with physical and mental strength. But at the start of this year, every training session seems like a test of psychological endurance.
The triathlete has had to stop just a few minutes after starting his running, swimming and cycling sessions. He explains that he has not been able to complete them normally for over a month:
“I almost always have to stop after a few minutes. We still don’t know exactly what’s going on.”
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The wound that still hasn't healed after Kona
Frustration of Sam Laidlow It is marked by the experience lived in the 2024 edition of the World Cup HOMBRE DE HIERRO in Kona.
There, after leading the race thanks to a huge sector of bike, the German Patrick Lange He was robbed of victory in the running section. That defeat, combined with physical exhaustion, left him with after-effects that he still suffers from in 2025.
In addition, at the end of last season, a hamstring tear forced him to miss the T100 Grand Final in Dubai, putting the finishing touch to a year of mixed feelings.
Training to the limit
Although the triathlete had announced his calendar of competitions with his sights set on the IRONMAN South Africa on March 30, his recent health problems have stopped him in his tracks.
Every time he dives into the pool or goes for a run, his body no longer responds as it used to, and uncertainty about his actual fitness level increases.
Laidlow himself is candid about the hardships of these times:
“This last month or so has been terrible. It’s a very bad start to the year, but I hope to turn it around and have a great season.”
The goal of reconquering IRONMAN
The great objective of Sam Laidlow for this 2025 is to taste glory again in the World Championship of HOMBRE DE HIERRO, a title he already holds since his historic victory in Nice. However, the road back to the top is not what he expected.
His words are clear: he is not looking for pity, but to share with those who follow him that elite sport can test even the most resilient. Although he admits that the situation “is not good”, he also remembers that adversity is a fundamental part of the life of any athlete.
Looking towards South Africa
All eyes are now on IRONMAN South Africa on March 30. Sam Laidlow He hopes to regain his form by then and be able to fight for the podium. In the meantime, he continues undergoing medical tests and looking for solutions that will allow him to train without having to stop after a few minutes.
The triathlete himself leaves a message of optimism, despite the complications:
“This month has been shitty, but we will get back to the top.”
Now, his main battle is against those health problems that threaten to rob him of his best version in 2025.
Can he find his way back to the form that brought him glory in time? The season has only just begun, and the answer is still to be written.
