Matthews thrilled with gutsy performance at T100 Triathlon in Dubai

By James Reid

Kat Matthews was thrilled with her gutsy performance at the T100 Triathlon World Championship Grand Final in Dubai, as she fought back to finish fifth.

Matthews was left with work to do after a disappointing swim but revealed she kept calm on the bike to lay the foundations for a storming run leg.

The Exmouth athlete clinched a fifth-place finish in the UAE to finish the tour fourth overall, and the 33-year-old was left filled with pride at her showing.

“I am really proud of my own performance,” she said. “It was the swim that really set me up for a really poor mood. It was a bad swim, I was great for 200m and then I just lost myself.

“I felt composed on the bike, I felt in control and really kept on top of my water and fuel. It meant that I could run one of the best runs I have had all year, in this heat. I am really excited for next year now.”

Matthews’ fourth-place finish overall ensures that she will be back for the 2025 edition of the ground-breaking series, which pits triathletes against each other in a series of high-profile locations across the world.

The 33-year-old claimed a place on the podium in her home race of London in July with a third-placed finish, and also finished second in San Francisco but is now looking to improve on her performances next season.

She added: “I have maybe spread myself a little thinly this year. To get the best out of myself I need to consolidate my efforts and intentions a little bit more. We will see what that looks like next year.”

Matthews finished fifth, pipping compatriot Lucy Byram into sixth thanks to her storming run leg.

The pair were five minutes off of winner and overall champion Taylor Knibb, who fought off challenges from Julie Derron and Ashleigh Gentle, who completed the podium ahead of Flora Duffy.

Knibb pulled clear around 3km from home to clinch the first-ever T100 Triathlon title and was pleased how everything came together on the day to claim her fourth win from four races this year alongside the overall crown.

Knibb said: “I woke up and messaged my coach that I feel rough! I thought this was going to be a bad day so I was shocked.

“It only came together the last 3km when everyone else came apart. It was very step by step. It was brutal out there.

“I have a fantastic team of individuals and then a lot of sponsors. It is a huge team effort and I am really grateful for everyone who supports me and believes in me.”

The inaugural Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final to crown the first ever T100 World Champions takes place on 16-17 November. The women's race is live and exclusive on Eurosport in the UK from 1315 on Saturday 16 November, with the race starting at 1330. Followed by the men's race on Sunday 17 November at the same times. Fans can also watch for free on PTO+