Lucy Charles-Barclay set to race PTO US Open
The women's start list has been announced for the PTO US Open and it looks like it's going to be quite the race...
British ace Lucy Charles-Barclay is set to take on a strong field at the PTO US Open in Dallas later this month in what will be her second race back after a long injury layoff.
Charles-Barclay’s season was thrown into disarray in March after an MRI scan discovered a stress fracture in her left hip.
The news meant the 70.3 world champion‘s season was on hold and she had to withdraw from both the 2021 Ironman World Championship in May and her Sub8 attempt in June.
But she returned to action in style last month as she took the win at the World Triathlon Long Distance Championship in Slovakia, pipping fellow Brit Emma Pallant-Brown to first.
Her return from injury is set to continue in Dallas on Sunday 18 September as she goes head-to-head with a field of top athletes in their quest to take a chunk of the $1,000.000 prize purse.
Among those toeing the start line will be USA’s Taylor Knibb, fellow Brits Holly Lawrence, India Lee, Fenella Langridge and Ruth Astle, plus PTO Canadian Open winner Ashleigh Gentle (AUS).
The big question that’ll be on everyone’s lips after this race, however, is whether or not Charles-Barclay will be racing in the Ironman World Championship at Kona just three weeks later.
Speaking after the result at the World Triathlon Long Distance Championship she said she’d assess her plans with her team for the rest of the year, but that defending her world title at the Ironman 70.3 World Champs was something she’d definitely like to do.
Given she’s already qualified, could we see her on the Big Island for the Ironman World Championship, too?
Image credit: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images for Ironman
Rob Slade
