Taylor Knibb: Background, career highlights, quotes
Two-time Ironman 70.3 world champion Taylor Knibb also has her sights set on Olympic glory. Here, we delve into the young American's story so far…
Taylor Knibb is arguably the most exciting prospect to hit standard-distance triathlon in years.
Although still comparatively tender of age, her experience of hitting form at the events that matter make her an almost certain legend-in-waiting…
Who is Taylor Knibb?
The hottest name in triathlon right now, Taylor Knibb can be whatever she wants to be. Still only in her mid-20s, barring serious injury the world is her oyster.
At the age of 20, she was already a three-time world champion; a stack of honours will surely be coming her way over the forthcoming seasons.
With her mother being an age-group world title holder at the ITU long distance world championships, perhaps Knibb’s destiny was preordained. She’s certainly not disappointed yet.
Her CV shows race wins and an overall silver in the WTCS series, a bronze from the Ironman 70.3 worlds, and a silver from the mixed relay at the Tokyo Olympics.
Not only does Knibb have terrific physical prowess (no one can get near her on the bike leg), but being a psychology graduate from Cornell suggests she may just have the mental edge, too.
Her most impressive short-course victory to date was at the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) Finals in Edmonton in August 2021, a success so runaway that her contemporaries must be quaking in their run shoes.
But the biggest career wins so far have been taking back-to-back Ironman 70.3 titles in 2022 and 2023.
If the future is unwritten, Taylor Knibb is right there, ready to fill up the page with all the achievements yet to come.
How old is Taylor Knibb?
Taylor Knibb was born on 14 February 1998, making her 26 years of age.
Taylor Knibb career highlights
September 2016: The world’s best junior receives her coronation
Knibb takes the junior world championship in Cozumel, an achievement she repeats 12 months later in Rotterdam.
July 2017: A WTS silver is a proper teenage kick
When she takes a precocious second place in Edmonton, 19-year-old Knibb becomes the youngest podium finisher in World Triathlon Series (WTS) history. Among those beaten are her compatriots Katie Zaferes, Summer Rapaport and Taylor Spivey.
September 2018: Still untouchable while climbing the age categories
A third world title in as many years comes Knibb’s way when she wins the U23 crown on Australia’s Gold Coast, arriving home at a canter, a minute and a half ahead of France’s Cassandre Beaugrand.
May 2021: Taylor Knibb will go to the Olympics
After the 2020 season was written off due to the pandemic, Knibb starts the 2021 season off in fine form, taking her maiden WTCS victory in Yokohama.
But the win is more significant than that: it secures her berth in the US triathlon team for the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics, making Knibb – at 23 – the youngest ever triathlete to be selected for the US squad for the Games.
July 2021: An Olympic triathlon medallist at 23
After her commanding victory in Yokohama, Knibb’s performance in the individual race at the Olympics – where she comes in in 16th place – has to be something of a disappointment, albeit a character-building experience.
A few days later, she bounces back to take silver as part of the US quartet in the mixed relay.
August 2021: Dominant performance knocks everyone into the shade
Following her second place in Montreal the weekend before, Knibb’s victory in the WTCS Finals in Edmonton is arguably the most impressive of her career thus far. She was first to exit the water and then rode the bike leg two and a half minutes faster than anyone else.
Although this comfortable lead is cut in half on the run, it remains sufficiently ample to take an unhurried win – and, with it, claim second place overall in the series.
August 2021: Knibb vanquishes one of the legends of the sport
At the inaugural Collins Cup in Slovakia, Knibb gives the US team the perfect start when she wins the opening match, in which she beats four-time Ironman world champ Daniela Ryf by nearly 17 minutes. Knibb’s time is the fastest among the women.
September 2021: Bronze medal at the Ironman 70.3 worlds
Having made her Ironman 70.3 debut the previous month in Boulder – where she took silver, despite riding the bike leg on a road bike, not a TT steed – Knibb takes bronze at the 70.3 worlds in Utah.
In November, she finishes fifth at the WTCS race in Abu Dhabi.
April 2022: 70.3 debut victory
Takes her maiden half-Ironman win on home ground in California.
September 2022: Victory snatched in Dallas
Following a four-month break due to an undisclosed injury, Knibb looks comfortable for victory at the inaugural PTO US Open… until Ashleigh Gentle powers through with only 2km to go to take the win.
October 2022: Becomes the world 70.3 champion
Takes bronze at the WTCS Cagliari race on 8 October, and then heads to St George, Utah for the 70.3 Worlds on the 28th. She leads from early on the bike and holds a huge gap to the rest of the field for much of the race before taking the title in 4:03:20.
November 2022: Silver in Bermuda; bronze in the Series
Hops over to Bermuda a week after the 70.3 Worlds and adds another WTCS silver to her rapidly growing medal collection.
A fourth in the Grand Final in Abu Dhabi at the end of November secures overall bronze for Knibb behind Georgia Taylor-Brown and Flora Duffy.
August 2023: Wins PTO US Open
Two months after winning Ironman 70.3 Boulder, Knibb reverses the 2022 PTO US Open result to claim victory over Ashleigh Gentle with a time of 3:32:58, to win her first PTO Open race.
Less than two weeks later she’s in Paris for the Test Event, finishing fifth, and booking her place on the US Olympic team for Paris 2024.
August 2023: Wins back-to-back Ironman 70.3 titles
There’s no stopping Knibb as she heads to Lahti, Finland, a week after racing Paris, to not only win her second 70.3 world title, but also set the new half-Ironman world record of 3:53:02, beating Laura Phillipp’s previous time by one second.
Knibb now joins Daniela Ryf as the only two, back-to-back Ironman 70.3 world champions. The victory also makes her the second American female triathlete to win the event since Joanna Zeiger in 2008.
October 2023: Finishes fourth in Kona in her first-ever full Ironman
In her debut Ironman race, Knibb finishes in an incredible fourth place. For most of the race she was in second place until the more experienced German pair of Laura Philipp and Anne Haug overtook her in the later stages of the marathon.
Her 8:35:56 finish time was the second fastest debut in Kona after Chelsea Sodaro‘s 8:33:45 winning time from last year.
April 2024: A golden start
The reigning 70.3 world champ starts the year strong with a win in Oceanside. With a 4:09:55 winning time she crosses the line over 10mins ahead of second-placed Emma Pallant-Browne.
May 2024: Splits the French for silver
In her first World Triathlon outing of the season, Knibbs takes second behind Léonie Périault and ahead of Emma Lombardi in Yokohama, all three Paris-bound.
June 2024: Tops the T100
Makes her T100 debut in San Francisco and comfortably takes the win ahead of Kat Matthews after an 80km bike split that’s almost 5min faster than her rivals.
Taylor Knibb in quotes
On being selected for the US Olympic team for Tokyo by winning the WTCS race in Yokohama: “I knew, based on my 2019 results, that I wasn’t going to earn a discretionary selection, so if I wanted a change, I had to just go out and earn it. I had nothing to lose.”
On winning Olympic silver in the mixed relay in Tokyo: “The overarching feeling for me was grateful: for the opportunity to race, to execute a good race, and to be able to share the experience with three incredible people.”
On an extraordinary 2021 season: “I don’t really know if I had expectations. It’s hard to know. You’re dealing with the human body. Everyone else and your competitors are also human bodies. It’s just unpredictable. And I don’t love expectations because they can sometimes be a limiter. They could be both a limiter or a motivator, but it depends on how you harness them.”
On winning the 2022 70.3 world title: “2022 Ironman 70.3 World Champion! I still can’t quite believe it.”
On finishing fourth on her Ironman debut at Kona 2023: “There were lots of unknowns heading into yesterday… I was just grateful for the opportunity to race the Ironman World Championships and make it to the finish. What a special place, experience, and race.”
What’s next for Taylor Knibb?
2024 will be firmly focused on securing an individual Olympic medal… with the odd T100 race thrown in for good measure.
She’s also got one eye on the farthest of horizons. “My biggest goal would be LA 2028.” But don’t be surprised to see her do a ‘Blummenfelt‘ and pick up world titles across all distances.
Top image credit: Justin Tafoya/Getty Images for Ironman
Nige Tassell
Freelance sportswriter 
