London, UK: Sam Long’s commanding win at Ironman 70.3 Pucon was enough to win him January’s PTO Athlete of the Month.
But on hearing he had been voted for the award, Sam was immediately setting out his stall for the season ahead and the upcoming T100 Triathlon World Tour.
Asked whether January’s success was a good omen for this year, Sam replied in typically upbeat fashion: “Up next is Athlete of the Year 😉.”
With the Athlete of the Month shortlist reduced from six to four athletes for this year, January’s quartet included Hannah Berry, Jack Moody, Sam and Marta Sanchez. A panel of triathlon media that includes Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de then pick their 1,2,3 from the shortlist – awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. With triathlon fans also voting via PTO social handles. Sam picked up 14 points to place first ahead of Berry and Sanchez in second and third respectively.
Talking about his victory in Pucon by over 6 minutes, PTO World #9 said:
“Pucon was a great time. I used the race as a motivator to keep me pushing over the holidays, where the tendency is to fall off. I was most pleased with a well rounded race and a great run on a very hard course. I changed several things in my training program and it showed me that these were positive changes.”
Looking ahead to the new T100 Triathlon World Tour and the first T100 race at CLASH Miami Endurance, Sam continued:
“The T100 Tour is super exciting. It’s our usual PTO 100km races, however the series adds in a demand of durability and consistency that I have shown great strengths in. I believe in myself and my team to persevere all season. Miami and the Homestead-Miami Speedway is the perfect starting point; I know this course well, have won there in the past, and just have to keep the momentum going. Yo Yo Yo!”
The PTO Athlete of the Month is an accolade that was introduced for the first time in 2023 by the Professional Triathletes Organisation to celebrate its members across the year and recognises a female or male PTO athlete each month based on: outstanding race performances, significant movement up the PTO World Rankings and/or challenges overcome.
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For Further Information
Anthony Scammell E: [email protected]
About the Professional Triathletes Organisation
The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, which is 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 will feature a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head on a consistent basis in iconic locations around the world. The broadcast will follow the 2023 PTO Tour approach which showed 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.
