Jessica Fullagar finishes second on T100 debut riding borrowed bike behind sensational Taylor Knibb at Gold Coast series opener
The Brit pushed the American all the way in her first middle-distance event as Swiss Imogen Simmonds came third
Jessica Fullagar came second on her T100 debut despite having to borrow a triathlon bike in the Gold Coast series opener.
The Brit’s remarkable start to middle-distance racing suggests she has the wherewithal to transition from sprint triathlon, her speciality.
She clocked the fastest run and swim times of the day, but lost time on the bike leg to Taylor Knibb, who clawed back two minutes.
“When I wasn’t suffering, I was having a lot of fun,” Fullagar told the organisers post-race. “I think you could tell I was a rookie out there. A lot of mistakes but I was here to learn a lot and have a lot of fun and considering I’m 16,000 km away from home it felt like a home race at times so I’m just grateful to be here.”
Because her own Scott bike was not ready in time for the opening event of the T100 Triathlon series, Fullagar borrowed the BMC Speedmachine of Lucy Byram, who had withdrawn due to injury.
Asked whether she’d return the bike, she joked: “Mmm, maybe. I’ll think on it.” Having earned $40,000 in prize money, she certainly can afford to buy Byram a thank-you coffee.
“I think you can tell I’m a short course gal,” added Fullagar, who is more used to the explosive Supertri format. “I got to 40km and I thought ‘oh my goodness’, this is a long way and I think naturally I clicked into going out hard and I think I should have maybe paced it a bit more. Same on the run. I naturally went out hard and thought, I’ve still got a long way to run, so I’ve got to learn how to pace better I think.”
Knibb was also impressed by Fullagar’s performance, saying: “Jess raced amazingly, especially for her first middle distance race. The pressure was on the whole day which makes a win even greater.”
Despite her successful T100 debut, Fullagar, who represented France until 2020, suggested she’ll need to convince her coach, Reece Barclay, to let her do more 100km races.
Four minutes behind Knibb, the 2024 T100 champion, and Fullagar came the Swiss Imogen Simmonds. Knibb won 35 points in the Race to Qatar and $50,000, Fullagar earned 29 points and $30,000, and Simmonds took home 26 points and $30,000.
The women’s series continues in Spain in May after the men’s Pro series kicks off in Singapore in April. We’ve explained how to watch the T100 World Tour so you don’t miss a moment.
Women’s Pro T100 Gold Coast results
| 1. Taylor Knibb | 3:27:53 | 35 points / $50,000 |
| 2. Jessica Fullagar | 3:28:53 | 29 points / $40,000 |
| 3. Imogen Simmonds | 3:33:11 | 26 points / $30,000 |
| 4. Nicole van der Kaay | 3:35:25 | 23 points / $25,000 |
| 5. Bianca Bogen | 3:36:13 | 20 points / $21,000 |
Jack Evans
