Georgia Taylor-Brown: “I don’t want it to come down to a run race. I want to change the game”

There was little to criticise with Georgia Taylor-Brown’s sixth-place finish as the World Triathlon Championship Series returned to London for the first time in 11 years, but it did provide further evidence that GB’s most decorated female Olympic triathlete has her work cut out to stop France’s fleet-footed Cassandre Beaugrand.

Beaugrand, the reigning Olympic champion, delivered the race-best 5km split required (15:27) to take the honours in Docklands ahead of Germany’s Lisa Tertsch and Sweden’s emerging Tilda Månsson and become a firm favourite to regain the WTCS title she first won in 2024,

However, Taylor-Brown still broke 16min on the run, and having mixed up her focus following the Paris Olympics, believes there is more footspeed to come when she fully targets LA 2028 qualification from next year.

“I’m not dictating the races like I used to,” she explained, referring to previous short course seasons where GB team-mate Jess Learmonth, Bermudian Flora Duffy and Taylor-Brown would provide the firepower to shape the race on the swim and bike.

“Maybe I’ll get there next year, but for the meantime I’m hanging on as long as I can and learning from the girls, from the back.

“It’s attainable next year when I’m focused on just WTCS and LA selection, and doing faster speedwork in training. At present, it’s just basework and being consistent. But at the same time, I don’t want it to come down to a run race. I want to change the game a bit.”

Despite long being one of the premier runners in triathlon – Taylor-Brown was a national cross-country champion in her youth – the Manchester-born star has always been more of a rounded athlete, attributing her success to strength in all three disciplines.

“I’m trying to do different things,” she continued. “Today, I tried to break away a bit, but on this course it’s too hard with a big group, strong girls on the bike, and a headwind. In the end, there are only so many times you can try before you go to Plan B and focus on the run.”

Not that Taylor-Brown is complaining at the status quo. After a difficult build-up to the Paris Olympics through injury and personal circumstances, the decision to try non-drafting triathlon, bike racing and choose races depending on what she fancies has seen a refreshed athlete excel in all areas, including winning Ironman 70.3 and T100 races.

“I love it so much, and I’m enjoying being back into racing and having fun with it this year, knowing that I can do all the different distances: sprint, Olympic, T100 and I’ll do some Supertri as well,” she explained. 

“Being competitive across all the distances is hard as it’s a different kind of training, but knowing I can do all that and still be competitive means a lot to me. My coach has a big job managing my programme, trying to get me ready to run a 5km race and T100 race as well. I’m 32 now and getting on a bit.” 

Taylor-Brown had a word for young GB athlete Tilly Anema who led out the swim in London, and was in the lead duo with Taylor Knibb before crashing out on the bike.

“I just saw she was with Knibb, and then with maybe two laps to go Knibb was on her own. I was hoping it was a flat, but not a crash,” she said.

But she also felt Anema’s example from the gun is one she’ll seek to follow. “Tilly is a super fast swimmer and can change the race,” she said. “So, it’s not just about me being able to keep up with the girls on the run, but being at the front again on the swim, and a bit more aggressive. I’ve become a bit soft.”

Taylor-Brown confirmed that despite being qualified for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, where she placed fourth last year, she wouldn’t be making the trip to Nice as it clashes with the WTCS race in Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic in September.

She added: “Both could be good courses for me so I’m a bit gutted. If i could make it work I really would.”