One of the brightest talents of European triathlon, Cassandre Beaugrand’s trophy cabinet might already be bulging but room will need to be made for her inevitable future successes.
Who is Cassandre Beaugrand?
Still only in her mid-20s, Cassandre Beaugrand has packed plenty into her triathlon career so far. One of the short-course world’s most promising talents who has developed to become among the most consistent figures on the WTCS circuit, Beaugrand's locker-full of medals is testament to this.
Beaugrand came to the sport with an impeccable athletics pedigree. In both 2013 and 2014, she was the junior national cross-country champion of France, while on the track she won gold in the 1500m at the European Olympic Youth Festival in 2013.
Once she converted to multisport, Beaugrand enjoyed plenty of success in the junior ranks of triathlon, including European championship golds and world championship silvers.
Her graduation to the elite ranks was pretty seamless too, taking a podium place in her second-ever race outside of junior competition.
Beaugrand very quickly showed her worth as a key member of France’s mixed relay team, a position that’s brought a deluge of medals her way, most notably no fewer than four world championship golds, along with Olympic bronze.
In her own right, Beaugrand has becomes a familiar face in the upper reaches of short-course racing, with World Triathlon wins in Hamburg, Leeds and Sunderland, and a Super League triumph in London.
Expect further wins over the next 12 months as she hunts down a medal at her home Olympics in Paris in 2024.
How old is Cassandre Beaugrand?
Cassandre Beaugrand was born on May 23 1997, making her 26 years of age.
Cassandre Beaugrand’s career highlights
August 2013: Her first individual career race victory
Having won gold as part of the French team in the youth women’s relay in June at the European Championships in Holten, Beaugrande takes individual glory at the ETU Junior European Cup in Eton Dorney.
May 2014: Podium in second elite race
Beaugrande’s first race as an elite was at the French national championships the previous autumn where she finished a highly commendable fourth. In her second outing, she takes second place in Bratislava at the ETU Sprint European Cup, missing out on gold by six seconds.
July-August 2014: A pair of world championship silvers
In her first major championships as an elite, Beaugrand takes silver at the mixed relay world champs in Hamburg. This is followed a month later by a second silver in the junior women’s world champs at the ITU Grand Final in Edmonton.
May 2016: Beaugrand becomes the queen of Europe
Five days after her 19th birthday, Beaugrand takes the junior women’s title at the European Championships in Lisbon, thanks to being the only athlete to dip under 17 minutes on the run.
June 2016: An elite European bronze
The following month, Beaugrande travels to the ETU sprint European championships in Châteauroux where she takes third in the elite race behind the British pair of Lucy Hall and Jess Learmonth. In stark contrast to later that year in August, when Beaugrand finishes a disappointing 30th at the Olympic Games in Rio.
June 2017: A European silver to complete the collection
Beaugrand’s ability and consistency make her a real asset to any relay team and, as part of the French mixed relay quartet, she bags silver at the European championships in Kitzbühel.
May 2018: Her first World Triathlon Series top 10
Beaugrand takes eighth place in Yokohama, finishing ahead of more seasoned athletes like Jodie Stimpson and Taylor Spivey. The same month, she retains her French national title.
July 2018: A maiden WTS victory – and a world title
In only her sixth WTS finish, Beaugrand takes her first series race win in Hamburg, finishing comfortably ahead of the likes of Nicola Spirig, Non Stanford and Flora Duffy. The following day, she takes her first world title as part of the all-conquering French mixed relay quartet.
July 2019: A second world crown fits nicely
On her return to Hamburg 12 months later, Beaugrand has to settle for silver in the women’s race, but France retains its mixed relay world title, handing her another gold. The foursome make it a hat-trick in 2020.
July 2021: Beaugrand bags an Olympic bronze
Despite being among the favourites for the mixed relay gold, the French quartet have to settle for bronze in Tokyo, behind Britain and the US. Still, it’s consolation for Beaugrand who failed to finish the women’s race four days before.
June 2022: A majestic run brings glory in Leeds
A post-Covid rebrand sees the World Triathlon Series now being known as the World Triathlon Championship Series. In a shortened race in Leeds, Beaugrand emerges victorious, despite having to serve a 10sec penalty on the run after an indiscretion on the bike.
Knowing her punishment was to come, Beaugrand pushed through on the run to establish a lead big enough to not be affected by the penalty and to stay ahead of home-turf heroes Georgia Taylor-Brown and Sophie Coldwell.
June 2022: A fourth world title
The French mixed relay team put their Olympic disappointment aside to take the world title in Montreal. It’s Beaugrand’s fourth world championship medal and comes the day after she took silver, behind her great rival Taylor-Brown, in the women’s race.
August 2022: European mixed relay champions
Takes European Mixed Relay Champs gold in Munich. Two days earlier, Beaugrand finished fifth in the women's race.
November 2022: Fifth in the world
Finishes 10th in the Grand Final in Abu Dhabi to end the year in fifth place overall.
July 2023: Wins Hamburg WTCS and is crowned super-sprint champion
After a season of solid results so far (6th Abu Dhabi, 4th Cagliari), Beaugrand gets a top-podium finish at the eliminator-format Hamburg, scene of her first World Triathlon victory back in 2018. The race also acts as the first-ever super sprint champs.
July 2023: Makes it two in a row in Sunderland
Puts in a masterclass performance to win the WTCS Sunderland race, in a French one-two with Emma Lombardi. She's now in second place behind Beth Potter for the all-important Grand Final in September.
August 2023: Bags her home Olympic slot
Despite being disappointed to finish second at her home Olympic Games Test Event, her podium place secures her slot at next year's main event.
September 2023: Finishes runner-up in the 2023 World Triathlon Series
Heads into the Grand Final in Pontevedra, Spain, as No.1, but struggles over the technical run course and drops back behind the strong GB pair of Beth Potter (and eventual winner and world champion) and Kate Waugh. She hangs on for third, to secure No.2 spot in the overall rankings.
A week later she wins the Super League Malibu race.
October 2023: Wins the final SLT race in Saudi
Finishes her year with a win in the fourth and final round of the Super League Series, seeing her placed fourth in the overall rankings.
Cassandre Beaugrand in quotes
On her first WTCS win in Leeds in 2022: “I was very focused on Leeds. I really wanted to have a good race. I had my boyfriend and his family here to watch me. He’s English and I was very happy to race in front of them.”
On achieving her high level of consistency in competition: “The road ahead is full of obstacles, but I make sure I focus on small things day by day and enjoy the journey as much as I can.”
On her Super League triumph in London earlier this year: “Racing in London was amazing. It was like the crowd was on fire.”
What’s next for Cassandre Beaugrand?
Having finished 30th in Rio in 2016 and failing to complete the race in Tokyo win 2021, there has to be one over-riding ambition in Beaugrand’s mind: to become the first female triathlete to win Olympic gold in her home country.
Top image credit: Joern Pollex/Getty Images for ITU
