Singapore: PTO World #1 Ashleigh Gentle has revealed a steely desire to get back on the top step of the PTO Tour podium in Singapore at this weekend’s PTO Asian Open.

Speaking in the PTO’s new Countdown To Singapore preview show, which premiers on Eurosport 1 this evening at 1930 CET and is also available on the PTO YouTube Hub, the thirty-two year old Australian said: ‘My eyes are firmly fixed on the Asian Open’.

Gentle won both PTO Open races in 2022 – in Edmonton, Canada and then Dallas, USA – however this season has brought two second places in the PTO European and US Open races respectively.

But whilst she didn’t get what she was looking for in Ibiza and Milwaukee, she has left no stone unturned in the build-up to the inaugural PTO Asian Open, spending time preparing at altitude in Spain.

“I don’t really feel like I’ve put a result together this year yet, that’s really shown exactly what I’m capable of,” she said. “So yes, coming to Andorra to train, I knew that I was coming up to altitude, and I’m going to get an extra kick out of that. That’s when you can really take your fitness to the next level.”

“I think that from what I’ve seen in the middle-distance racing, there’s definitely less room for error across swim, bike or run. In Ibiza I had a not-so-good swim. But when I go all-in, I go all-in. The sheer exhilaration of giving 100%. Actually realising that you’re the best.”

Gentle will lead an elite women’s field of 20 athletes in the women’s PTO Asian race that will also feature World #3 Anne Haug and #4 Lucy Charles-Barclay and start at 1515 local time on Saturday 19 August around a new 100km course that is hubbed in the Marina Bay Financial District of Singapore and will see the Professional athletes plunge into the iconic Marina Bay for only the second time.

On the men’s side of the draw, fellow Aussie Max Neumann announced himself on the biggest stage by winning the PTO European Open in Ibiza in May, when he beat three Olympic champions of the sport – Frodeno, Brownlee and Blummenfelt – to top the podium. This time around the PTO World #5 will be much more of a known quantity, but will only have one former Olympic champion to deal with – Kristian Blummenfelt.

“I know Kristian loves to hurt himself, and that works for me. Yes, he’s definitely beatable, but you’re not racing five other guys, you’re literally racing the twenty best athletes in the world. I think he’s going to play a huge factor in this race. I think I still need to prove myself.”

The flag goes down for the men’s PTO Asian Open at 1515 local time on Sunday 20 August, with the field containing 7 of the top 10 athletes from the PTO World Rankings.

How to catch the action

The women’s broadcast takes place on Saturday 19 August, starting at 1500 local time (0900 CET), and will be broadcast live around the world to 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO Tour’s partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery. It will live on Eurosport 2 from 0900 CET as well as featured on a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters including DAZN, beIN Sports and SPOTV. In Singapore, the PTO Asian Open will also be shown ‘live’ on mewatch, Mediacorp’s digital streaming platform, alongside a preview programme and race highlights show that will also be broadcast on Channel 5, Mediacorp’s English language free-to-air channel. The men’s race broadcast starts at 1500 local time (0900 CET) on Sunday 20 August.  For more details visit https://protriathletes.org/events/how-to-watch/

-ends-

For more information

Anthony Scammell E: [email protected]

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). The PTO European Open on 6 May and PTO US Open in Miwaukee on 4-5 August kicked off the 2023 PTO Tour and are followed by the inaugural PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. The season is underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.