Recap of the year: the 15 best triathlon moments of 2024

Before we head into a shiny new year, let’s take a final look back at the one we’re about to say goodbye to. So grab a glass of fizz and raise a toast as we recap the best triathlon moments of 2024…

1. Women’s Olympic Triathlon, 31 July, Paris, France

And the 2024 Paris Olympic triathlon events are, finally, off! The ‘will they, won’t they’ game had the global tri community hooked for several days at the end of July, but when the women’s Olympic triathlon got the green light, the viewing public was rewarded with some of the most iconic moments in sporting history. 

2. Miami T100, 10 March, Miami, USA

The much-hyped T100 race series made its debut at the iconic Homestead-Miami Speedway back in March, marking the start of what would be the busiest pro season in history. The series attracted the biggest names in tri and the biggest prizes as it travelled across the globe to seven landmark locations. 

3. Challenge Roth, 7 July, Roth, Germany  

Two words best sum up the legendary race that is Challenge Roth – fast and fun. This image clearly represents the latter, the small German town’s unique finish-line arena where records are celebrated to a Eurodance thrum and strobe lighting.

In its 22-year history, Roth has witnessed some of the greatest feats in endurance racing, including two new world long-distance records in 2024, so why the heck not have a massive party! 

4. Challenge Roth, 7 July, Roth, Germany  

2019 Ironman world champion Anne Haug is one of the sport’s finest female triathletes, and this year, aged 41, rocked up to Roth, collected her third victory. She also broke Daniela Ryf’s world long-course record, from just last year, by almost 6mins with a time of 8:02:38. The crowds went wild for their homegrown hero. 

5. Women’s Olympic Triathlon, 31 July, Paris, France

We printed this beautiful image of the newly-crowned Olympic champion Cassandre Beaugrand back in issue 434 for our Olympic pictorial. But it deserved a reprint as it perfectly portrays the culmination of years of hard graft and sacrifice, as well as the deep respect and passion the elites have for this magnificent sport. 

6. Men’s Olympic Triathlon, 31 July, Paris, France

Who really needs words when this image exists? A photograph that while not printed in these pages before has come to define the true meaning of ‘Olympic spirit’.

Silver-medallist Hayden Wilde places his arm around his friend and chief rival Alex Yee, who just moments earlier had passed the Kiwi to snatch gold in what could rival the infamous ‘Iron War’ for the sport’s greatest racing moment. 

7. Olympic Mixed Team Relay, 5 August, Paris, France

The mixed team relay event in Paris provided what every viewer hopes for when they watch elite sport – a photo finish. Here, Germany’s Laura Lindemann is first to the tape for a clear, but still close, gold.

GB’s Beth Potter was initially named runner-up, before a photo review reversed the decision and Taylor Knibb was upgraded to give Team USA their second Olympic mixed relay silver. 

8. Paralympic Paratriathlon, 2 September, Paris, France

Again, we printed an image of PTVI paratriathlete Dave Ellis and his guide Luke Pollard in our Paralympic pictorial in issue 435, but their victory over the Paris cobbles needs to be celebrated once more, such was the magnitude of their performance.

The six-time world and five-time European champion suffered a race-destroying mechanical in Tokyo, so the Paris title just had to be his! Sport doesn’t always work that way, of course, but on 2 September the script was word perfect and the popular pair crossed the line to make Paralympic history. 

9. Supertri Boston, 18 Aug, Boston, USA

Yep, this one was printed in issue 434, but what a moment! It’s very rare that beef between athletes is captured on camera, but it’s even more rare to see it between the same two athletes who had inadvertently become the poster boys of the Olympics just two weeks prior.

Hayden Wilde was not impressed with Alex Yee’s cocky arms-crossed celebration, the Olympic champion having just passed Wilde for the win à la Paree. Luckily, it was quickly resolved and the two were seen laughing on the podium. Phew! 

10. Ironman Women’s World Champs, 22 September, Nice, France

The French Riviera capital hosted the first Ironman Worlds outside of Hawaii in 2023, when the men’s champs took place. In 2024, it was the women’s turn in the new split-location format, a decision that still divides the tri community. But the elites seem to love it, mainly because the two courses are both fittingly brutal.

While Kona will forever boast that indefinable magic, whatever the location winning a world title is still winning a world title. And this year, it was Germany’s Laura Philipp turn at the top, getting the better of GB’s Kat Matthews on the marathon to win in 8:45:15.  

11. Xterra World Champs, 25 September, Trentino, Italy

The global off-road travelling circus that is Xterra culminated in Trentino, Italy, at the end of September. The world championship race, which used to take place in Maui, Hawaii, switched to the northern Italian province in 2022, and, as is characteristic of all Xterra races, provides a breathtaking backdrop to the muddy mayhem that usually ensues.

12. World Triathlon Championship Series Grand Final, 20 October, Torremolinos, Spain

Short-course legend Vincent Luis bids an emotional farewell to his legions of fans. The two-time world and supertri champion made the decision to hang up his Olympic-distance tri-suit at the end of 2024, a year that saw him fail in his bid to make his fourth Olympic Games.

13. Ironman Men’s World Champs, 26 October, Kona, Hawaii

Germany’s Patrick Lange last won the Ironman world title in 2018, but started the 2024 event as one of the race’s, admittedly, many favourites. Even Lange, who also won in 2017, expected it to be “the closest Kona ever”.

As it transpired, Lange would cross the line 8mins clear of Denmark’s Magnus Ditlev, smashing the course record by 5mins with a jaw-dropping 7:35:53. 

14. Ironman Men’s World Champs, 26 October, Kona, Hawaii

Twenty-five-year-old Billy Monger had, arguably, the most pressure on his back at the start of the 2024 Ironman Worlds. Not only was the young broadcaster, racing driver and double amputee racing Kona for the first time, but he’d set himself the dual goal of beating not only the cut-off time of 17hrs, but also the double-amputee record of 16:25hrs. Plus, he was under the media spotlight racing for Comic Relief. His finish time? 14:23:56. 

15. Dubai T100, 16 November, Dubai, UAE

We couldn’t round up the year without singling out the US powerhouse that is Taylor Knibb. Here she’s en route to winning her fourth T100 race from four starts, that would see her crowned the undisputed champion of the inaugural series.

In between bossing the 100K, the 26-year-old, Ivy-League-educated psychologist also collected her second Olympic medal, anchoring the US team to another mixed relay gold to add to their one from Tokyo.  

Lead image: Donald Miralle for IRONMAN