While it is fairly common for track athletes to compete across separate events, Beth Potter decided to go one step further by switching sports altogether. However, when the Scottish athlete made the decision to switch the relative comfort of the track for the unfamiliarity of the triathlon, not many could have foreseen the remarkable march to success that followed. Now focus turns to the Paris Olympic Games, where the pursuit of medals is set to thrill.
Who is Beth Potter
Beth Potter is a born and bred Glaswegian whose sporting prowess was evident from a young age, having juggled distance running with her other love, swimming. The 32 year old has also been able to combine her sporting achievements with her position as a qualified physics teacher in West London. She ploughed her furrow into elite sport as a distance runner on the track, before demonstrating her versatility by becoming a triathlete.
The Turning Point
Potter set her transition into the sport of triathlon in motion almost immediately after her campaign at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, by channeling the disappointment of the experience into the inner self belief and resilience that has catapulted her to world champion status. The delight of being selected for her first Olympic Games was a huge moment in the career of the Scot, although a 34th placed finish in the 10,000m final represented genuine dissatisfaction and left Potter questioning her future in athletics altogether. Despite illness being a factor in her performance, Potter knew it was time for change and at the beginning of 2017 she decided to enter the world of triathlon in order to fulfil her desire to win global medals.
First Steps into Triathlon
In order to focus fully on her new endeavour, Potter left her teaching post, as well as athletics behind and moved to Leeds to train alongside fellow British triathletes Alistair & Jonny Brownlee, Non Stanford and Vicky Holland, joining a renowned training regime. Despite the fact that she had already began triathlon training, Potter won the British 10,000m title, earning her the right to contend the 2017 world championship final in front of a home crowd in London, where she finished in 21st place.
Already a world class distance runner, Potter knew she had genuine swimming pedigree having been a competitive swimmer in her youth, however the triathlon element most unknown and that caused the most concern to Potter was the bike. Patience and belief in her own ability, coupled with being surrounded by the best British triathlon has to offer proved to be a winning formula for Potter as she began to make strides in the sport. Her first major title saw her crowned European Triathlon Champion in 2019, a title that not only announced her arrival on the international stage, but also signified her intent to be the best, just two and a half years after taking the sport up.
YouTube Video: Plan B, a film by Santara Studios in partnership with ASICS, CADEX and Factor, tells the story of Beth’s grit, determination and bravery to leave everything she knew behind and attempt to find her feet in a new sport, all in pursuit of her Olympic dream.
Becoming World Champion
The Olympic Games couldn’t have come at a better time for Beth Potter as she heads to Paris as the reigning world triathlon champion following a hugely successful 2023. Her victory in the World Series finals in Pontevedra, Spain saw her crowned world champion and secured her qualification for the Olympics, allowing for preparations to begin almost a year out from the games. Speaking to Team GB, Potter said:
“Paris will be my first games as a triathlete, and I am looking forward to it,
Potter won four of the eight World Series races last season, showcasing her ability to perform consistently in a range of conditions across the globe. She went into the final race in Spain knowing a victory would secure the world title and having stayed in contention after the swim and bike, Potter demonstrated her superiority in the run as she left her rivals in her wake to claim the crown. This gutsy performance underlined her Olympic credentials and establishes her as one of the ones to beat come the 31st July.
All Roads Lead to Paris
No nation has won more Olympic medals in triathlon since its inauguration at Sydney 2000 than Great Britain, and Potter hopes she can continue this fine tradition. Her rich vain of form appears to be timed impeccably, made all the more promising by her winning performance at the Olympic course test event in August. Once again Potter utilised her strength in the run to edge out her rivals, all the while gathering crucial experience and confidence on the all important Paris course.
As Potter heads to her second Olympics, but her first to compete in triathlon, she will also be eyeing up the mixed relay as an opportunity to win a medal. This richly entertaining addition to triathlon programmes gives us as fans another chance to see the triathletes talent on display.
The Scot is all too aware that the current standard of female triathlon is at a real high, so the scrap for medals promises to go right down to the wire. Here are just some of the names that could threaten the world champions chase for gold.
Cassandre Beaugrand is likely to be the hometown favourite at the games, with the French triathlete originating from Livry-Gargan, a town in the north eastern suburbs of Paris. Beaugrand came a narrow second to Beth Potter in both the World Series rankings and in the Paris test event. She will hope to get the better of Potter this time around, no doubt roared on by the home support.
Laura Lindemann exhibited her medal winning potential by finishing third in the Paris test event, potentially peaking at a good time. The German tends to produce her best performances at major competitions so could well be an athlete to keep an eye on in Olympic year.
Flora Duffy is a real veteran when it comes to triathlon, and is an extremely popular athlete amongst her rivals and fans. She is the current Olympic champion in the individual event and the triathlete from Bermuda hopes to be in good shape to defend her crown, however she didn’t feature at all on the circuit in 2023 due to a knee injury. At 36, Duffy knows exactly what it takes to get on the podium on the biggest of stages.
Great Britain’s Georgia Taylor Brown claimed the individual silver medal in Tokyo, to go alongside her relay gold won with team GB. Britains greatest ever female Olympic triathlete will hope to feature again, however like Duffy, she’s had an injury interrupted year. With the field as open as it’s ever been, Taylor Brown is more than capable of producing medal winning performances.
Taylor Knibb of the USA is another athlete who is capable of producing a big performance on the day, especially with her strongest element, the bike. A heroic performance on the bike in the test event underlined her ability to stay in touch with the field, so expect her to be there or there abouts in Paris. Fellow American Katie Zaferes won the bronze in Tokyo and will be hoping for a return to the medal rostrum in the French capital.
Emma Lombardi is another French triathlete hoping to hit new heights at a home Olympic Games. At just 22 years of age, Lombardi finished third in the world rankings last year and managed a fourth placed finish at the test event. The medal podium is certainly a realistic target for Lombardi at her first Olympic Games.
The Paris 2024 women’s individual triathlon competition take place on the 31st July 2024. The mixed team relay race is on the 5th August 2024. The triathlon competitions take place in and around Pont d’Iéna on the banks of the river Seine.
For all things Paris 2024, click here.
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