Taylor Knibb T100 Champion Wins Grand Final in Dubai
Taylor Knibb, the American middle-distance triathlon star, reaffirmed his dominance this season in the T100 Triathlon World Tour by winning today in the Grand Final in Dubai, becoming the first world champion of this series.
Ashleigh Gentle tested Knibb like never before, but the American showed why she is the best at the 100km distance
Knibb arrived in Dubai with three consecutive victories and although second place was enough for her to take the title today, the 26-year-old athlete left nothing to chance and won clearly with a time of 3:29:17.
Swiss Julie Derron finished in second place, beating Ashleigh Gentle, who, exhausted by the effort, lost second place in the final meters of the race.
Swimming: Sara Pérez Sala leads in the water
The test began with swimming, where the Spanish Sara Pérez Sala led the first 2 kilometers in waters at a stifling temperature of 31 degrees. T
All the favorites were ahead, with Ashleigh Gentle giving the surprise by keeping up with the leaders, a group formed by Taylor Spivey, Taylor Knibb, Julie Derron, Flora Duffy, Imogen Simmonds y India Lee.
Cycling: Penalties
During the first few kilometers of cycling, Julie Derron y Ashleigh Gentle they took the lead.
However, Taylor Knibb At 10 kilometers he took the lead of the race thanks to his quality on the bike.
The heat was unforgiving and the cycling stage was full of incidents. Imogen Simmonds received a 30-second penalty for dropping a bottle.
Even Knibb came close to receiving a penalty for a similar incident, but luckily for her, the boat rolled just inside the permitted waste zone.
Knibb reached the T with a lead of 2 minutes and 46 seconds over Gentle, who had managed to hold on to second position.
Race: An intense battle until the last kilometer
Ashleigh Gentle was aggressive from the start of the foot race, overtaking Julie Derron just out of transition.
By then, the difference with Taylor Knibb It was 2 minutes and 51 seconds, but Gentle reduced it to less than two minutes at 5 km.
Knibb She was undaunted and began to match Gentle's pace. The Australian needed Knibb to finish third or worse to have any chance of winning the title.
At kilometer 10, the gap had narrowed to less than a minute. That's when Taylor Knibb He gave his all in the test.
She managed to maintain her pace, even accelerating in the final kilometres, while the accumulated fatigue took its toll on Gentle, who was forced to walk due to cramps. Derron took advantage of the situation to overtake Gentle and secure second place in the final.
The former Olympic champion Flora Duffy He led the day's comeback, setting the fastest time in the running stage and finishing in fourth place.
Kat matthews completed the top five, a ranking that also reflected the final result of the T100 season ranking.
The Spanish Sara Pérez, who was in the lead until the run, finished in 16th position.
Top 10 women Grand Final T100 Dubai
| Job title | Athlete | Final time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor Knibb | 3:29:17 |
| 2 | Julie Derron | 3:31:08 |
| 3 | Ashleigh Gentle | 3:31:42 |
| 4 | Flora Duffy | 3:33:05 |
| 5 | Kat matthews | 3:34:18 |
| 6 | Lucy byram | 3:34:56 |
| 7 | Laura Philipp | 3:36:01 |
| 8 | Taylor Spivey | 3:36:23 |
| 9 | Imogen Simmonds | 3:36:41 |
| 10 | Anne Haug | 3:37:29 |
Check here the complete results
Women's Final Standings of the T100 Triathlon World Tour 2024
- Taylor Knibb - 160 pts
- Ashleigh Gentle - 132 pts
- Julie Derron - 101 pts
- Kat matthews - 91 pts
- Flora Duffy - 90 pts
The men's event will be held tomorrow. Check here schedules and how to watch it live
