Watkinson weathers stifling heat for best ever T100 finish

The 32-year-old New Zealander finished fourth in the far east, putting a disappointing swim leg behind her to narrowly miss out on a podium finish.

In the unrelenting heat, underlined by a DNF from Miami champion India Lee, Watkinson was pleased to make it to the finish in a time of 3 hours 52 minutes 3 seconds.

Singapore T100 Women's Podium ????

???? Ashleigh Gentle ???????????? Lucy Charles-Barclay ???????????? Els Visser ???????? pic.twitter.com/D2u2Gt17wg

— T100 Triathlon World Tour (@t100triathlon) April 13, 2024

“I’m happy with fourth as that’s my best result at any one of these events,” she said.

“There was a group of us that had a fairly decent deficit out of the swim but a lot of us were decent runners and bikers.

“On this race in particular, the heat can really get you and I guess we all counted on that. 

“I didn’t have the bike I was expecting, but you have to keep pushing right through and I think I grabbed a bottle at every single station, tipped that over me and kept on pushing.

Aussie Ashleigh Gentle made the perfect start in the defence of her T100 title, overcoming Lucy Charles-Barclay in sensational fashion on the run to snatch top spot.

This is why triathlon is the hardest sport on this planet ????

This is what it takes to win… pic.twitter.com/FyehMpLiJ5

— T100 Triathlon World Tour (@t100triathlon) April 14, 2024

Els Visser claimed an unlikely third, 25 seconds ahead of Watkinson, who despite recording the second-fastest run time behind Gentle, says she tired as the humidity took hold.

“On the run I faded at halfway and took a few walking steps around the aid stations to keep cool because if you don’t it bites you,” added Watkinson.

“Last year I did a block in Asia before this race and I didn’t do that this year, and I think we got a hot day this year and I felt it.”