Taylor Knibb of the United States made history on Saturday by securing the inaugural T100 triathlon world championship title in Dubai. Despite the scorching heat, which reached 31 degrees Celsius (87.8°F), the 26-year-old American delivered an impeccable performance across the swim, bike, and run disciplines.
Knibb's victory in Dubai was the culmination of a remarkable streak, having previously won in San Francisco, Ibiza, and Lake Las Vegas. This impressive run earned her $310,000 in prize money as part of the inaugural T100 triathlon world tour series.
After a strong 2km swim, Knibb faced a minor setback during the transition but swiftly regained her lead during the 80km bike segment. "I woke up and messaged my coach that I just feel rough, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is going to be a bad day,’" Knibb recounted. "So, I was kind of shocked! It only came together in the last 3km when everyone else fell apart, but it was very step-by-step. That was brutal out there, so have fun men!" she added, addressing the male competitors racing on Sunday.
As the race drew to a close, Knibb's lead over Australian Ashleigh Gentle and Paris Olympics silver medallist Julie Derron narrowed. However, her resilience in the 18km run ensured she maintained a steady advantage, finishing ahead of Derron in second and Gentle in third.
Gentle put up a valiant fight, reducing the gap to just over a minute, but faltered in the final stages. Meanwhile, Swiss Derron managed to surge past her in the race. Gentle secured $140,000 for her second-place finish in the T100 Standings, while Derron claimed third overall, earning $90,000 for her efforts.
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