London, UK: Anne Haug has been voted the Professional Triathlon Organisation’s July Athlete of the Month after her record breaking performance at Challenge Roth.
After signing up just days before the race, Haug conquered the course in 8:02:38 – breaking the full distance world record by six minutes. Not only a history-maker for a long distance triathlon by a woman, Challenge Roth results show that Haug also ran a quicker marathon than the professional men who finished 2nd and 3rd place. Her run was just four minutes slower than the men’s race champion and 2024 course record-breaker Magnus Ditlev of Denmark.
On winning the PTO Athlete of the Month for July, the German World #4 responded:
“It’s a real honour, which I’m super proud of; considering all the amazing performances we’ve seen the whole year. It’s just great to witness the development of our sport and have the opportunity to be part of it for almost 19 years now.”
Looking back on her record breaking efforts, Haug said:
“It still feels a bit unreal, to be honest. If I could have dreamed of a perfect race scenario, it would have gone exactly like this. I was in the front pack of the swim and straight away leading on the bike. That gives you the freedom to set your own pace and take a bit of control of what happens. And if someone ever raced Roth knows how much the crowds can make you fly on the run. Especially if it’s your home race. I always believed that it’s possible to run under 2:40hrs on the marathon, but not after this illness-ridden roller-coaster year.”
Two weeks later, Haug was in London tackling her first T100 of the series.
“It was crazy being back in London – a real flashback,” said the PTO World #4. “I raced the Olympics there 12 years ago and so I know how sport crazy the whole city is and how interested they are in triathlon. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite have enough in the tank to challenge for the podium [she finished 11th], but it was a great race and I’m already looking forward to the next T100 race in Ibiza at the end of September where I have great memories having won last year.”
Talking more generally about the T100 World Tour, Anne said:
“This series means a lot to the sport of triathlon. It’s the perfect mixture of short course and long course and I love the speed. It’s also nice to have more races where you constantly compete with the best in the world. It allows you to improve yourself as an athlete – you have to face the best possible competition to get the best out of yourself and to have it more often in the year benefits everyone. It’s just been a shame I wasn’t able to race much in the first half of the season.”
“I also think the approach of having so many different races, where everyone has the chance to show what they’re capable of, will take the sport forward. Some athletes struggle in the heat, some are good in cold conditions, flat courses, hilly courses. But if you want to win the series, you have to be good in all conditions – and that makes it exciting.”
Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Tri-Mag.de, Triathlon Magazine & Triathlete made up the panel of triathlon media who voted on their 1, 2, 3 from a four-athlete shortlist, awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. Votes were also counted from online triathlon fans who had their say via the T100 social handles.
Magnus Ditlev, who also won Roth, and London T100 winners Australian Ashleigh Gentle and Frenchman Sam Laidlow made up the short-list this month, but it was Haug who picked up 3 points from all of the judges bar one, to secure July’s vote.
The T100 will make its next stop in Ibiza on the 28-29 September, where pro men and women will take to the White Island to battle it out for the fifth time in the new series.
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For Further Information:
Anthony Scammell E: [email protected]
About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)
The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will also be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.
