“I want to achieve bigger and better things”: Kate Waugh on her first Olympics and her work as a Supertri racer
From her first triathlon at the age of “8 or 9”, to her first Olympics, triathlete Kate Waugh knows how to play her cards right. With the U23 World Championship under her belt, silver in the Grand Final Elite World Triathlon Championship 2023, and two golds in 2023’s Supertri’s Triathlon, the British racer has debuted in Paris 2024 and hopes to repeat this quest in Los Angeles 2028.
These were your first Olympics. Congratulations! Was such an event everything you hoped for in terms of sportsmanship?
My first Olympics… it was an absolute honour to represent Team GB, and it was a beyond-belief experience. The crowds in Paris were incredible, and I hope to relive it all again in four years. There is a good kind of camaraderie across triathlon; it’s quite a small world, so it’s nice to have mutual respect on the start line, which I think is super important for everyone to thrive. Naturally, in sports, you want to display good sportsmanship and remain respectful, so it was a really good experience overall.
Apart from the competitions, the Olympics are also a learning place for many athletes. What are you taking home with you, and what was the biggest challenge you faced?
I think the biggest challenge was probably the amount of hype around the Olympic Games. It was a lot of media attention and a lot you had to schedule around your training, like interviews and photoshoots. That was quite difficult to deal with. Surely, the build-up and the hype were an extra challenge you had to manage. Once we were on the start line, it was the easiest part, to be honest, because it’s just the same fifty-four girls that I always race against. For LA [2028], I would know what to expect now, which is really important. I have that experience, so I can carry it forward.
You are now an Olympic athlete, have a gold and a silver medal in the World Triathlon Championships, and two gold medals in the Supertri Triathlon. What is the next milestone you’re aiming to achieve and how have the Olympics shaped your future goals? Have they influenced how you think about your future career?
Yeah, for sure. I think they just got me even more excited for the next Games because I absolutely loved being a part of the Olympics. It was a dream come true. Now, in the next four years, I can continue my development and start racing more consistently at the front of the races. I’ve had a little bit of insight into what it is like to race at the front, but I just want to make that more consistent.
You are a member of Supertri, a league of non-standard triathlon races that take place during the sport's traditional off-season. How do you adapt your training as a part of Supertri’s Crown Racing team? Does it look different from your individual training plan?
When I’m fit across all three sports, it translates appropriately to the Supertri distance as well. I think it’s important to incorporate some speed into our training, because you are running 10k, 5k, and then over Supertri we race in miles. It’s nothing too different, but we have to make sure we are ready for the top-end speed.
On September 8th you will be participating at Supertri’s London Event. What is your main focus for this date?
I’m extremely excited I get to race in front of my friends and family in London. I have been doing the London Supertri for a few years now, so I always like to go and enjoy and soak up the atmosphere; it’s a great event. I am just preparing as I would for any other race, so hopefully the boost of adrenaline I’ll get knowing it’s a home crowd will lead to a good result!
For the London Event, you will now be competing as an Olympic athlete. What does your day-to-day look like? How does one celebrate these moments?
I guess I haven’t had too much time to celebrate, because it’s straight from the Olympics to Supertri. As I mentioned before, it is a huge privilege, but nothing has really changed: I’m still Kate, still in love with triathlon and what I do. Getting to this point in my journey is such a huge occasion, and my family is seeing me accomplish a childhood dream. I continue my everyday life, I keep working hard, and I don’t want to stop at “just” becoming an Olympian. I want to achieve bigger and better things.
That is amazing. Now, for some rapid-fire questions, what is your favourite way to end a training session?
Just enjoy chatting with my training group, and maybe going for a coffee as well.
An inspiration for your craft? It could be someone or something.
I always looked up to Jessica Ennis Hill, the heptathlete who won in London 2012, which was the first Olympics I watched. I was completely in awe of her and her modesty and humbleness, and I loved her sportsmanship.
A piece of advice you would give to your younger self, to Kate who is starting in professional triathlon?
Keep enjoying it, take it all in and don’t be so hard on yourself, because it will all work out if you keep smiling.
If you would like to see Kate Waugh in action, the world’s fastest triathlon, likened to F1, comes to London on Sunday 8th September. Tickets are free for all, you’ll be trackside with front-row tickets to the finest swim-bike run action from Olympic and World Champions, including Alex Yee, Beth Potter, and more, alongside triathlon legend, Jonny Brownlee. Sign up for your free tickets! www.supertri.com
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Marta Ramírez is a freelance writer from Spain, interested in lifestyle, sustainability, books and all things culture.
