Gwen Jorgensen looks to Los Angeles 2028 at age 40: “I’m not finished”
Gwen Jorgensen will continue competing. The Rio 2016 Olympic champion has concluded a challenging 2026 season with a clear decision about her future: to continue in triathlon with Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon.
The 40-year-old American finished 23rd in the World Triathlon Championship Series Grand Final held in Pontevedra, a result far from the top positions but which gave her an important sign to face what's to come.
After months hampered by physical problems and doubts about his future, Jorgensen explained after the race that he had rediscovered the feeling he had been searching for. His conclusion was direct: “I’m not finished . ”
A 23rd place with a different interpretation
Jorgensen arrived in Pontevedra after an inconsistent season and after having achieved a fifth place in the WTCS Weihai a few weeks earlier.
In the final, Spain lost ground from the swim onwards and had to complete much of the cycling leg far from the leading groups. However, the run changed their perception of the day.
The American completed the 10 kilometers in 33:01 , the second-fastest running split of the race. That time allowed her to finish 23rd with a total time of 1:55:15.
The results of the WTCS Pontevedra 2026 reflect precisely that contrast between her final position and one of the best running splits of the entire women's race.
Jorgensen later explained that for much of the year running had been especially difficult, but that in Pontevedra he felt like himself again when he came out of the second transition.
A season marked by recovery
The road to this point has not been easy. The American player had undergone heel surgery in 2025 and during her recovery had to progressively rebuild her calf muscles and Achilles tendon. She then suffered another calf injury at the start of the season.
Even before deciding to have surgery, Jorgensen had made it clear that the goal was to prepare for her return in the medium term. TN reported at the time that the Olympic champion would miss the 2025 finals to focus on her recovery and the 2026 season.
What was not clear at the time was how far that project would go.
As the athlete herself has now explained, during 2026 she questioned whether she should continue competing. The mixed feelings she experienced in the final stretch of the season seem to have cleared up that doubt, at least for the moment.
Venice Beach puts Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon
Jorgensen's continued presence also has an objective that goes beyond another season in the WTCS.
The American has recently trained in Venice Beach with USA Triathlon, working on specific aspects of open water swimming such as beach entries and exits.
This is no ordinary venue. Venice Beach will host the triathlon at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Furthermore, LA28 has announced that a World Triathlon event will be held there from July 16-18, 2027, allowing athletes to compete and train on the courses planned for the Games. Jorgensen has identified the 2027 event as one of his next goals.
The Olympic qualification period for LA28 is open from May 18, 2026. The results determine which athletes will be selected for each country, and then each National Olympic Committee decides which athletes will fill those spots. In the case of the United States, USA Triathlon has yet to publish its final selection criteria for LA28.
The challenge of returning to the Games twelve years after Rio
Jorgensen returned to international triathlon in 2023 after more than six years away from the discipline with the intention of seeking a place for Paris 2024, an objective that she ultimately did not achieve.
Now she faces a different situation. Los Angeles 2028 would mean competing in an Olympic Games twelve years after winning gold in Rio 2016, but there are still two seasons to go, an open qualification process, and strong internal competition within the US team.
Jorgensen finished the 2026 season in 15th place in the WTCS overall standings . Beyond that position, Pontevedra has made one thing clear for the next cycle: the American wants to continue competing.
Their next big reference point will come in 2027, when Venice Beach begins to offer the first answers about how far this new attempt to return to the Olympic Games can go.
This content has been created with the support of AI tools and reviewed by the Triathlon News editorial team.
