The Triathlon at Paris 2024 will go down in history as one of the most watched and talked about competitions as the race took place across the iconic streets and monuments of Paris itself.
It was an incredible experience for Australian athletes Matthew Hauser, Luke Willian, Sophie Linn and Natalie Van Coevorden, with both the men’s and women’s events taking place on the same day due to a change in competition schedule.
Looking to draw on his experience, Matt, along with his teammates, made Australia proud and pulled together a stellar performance. Putting himself in a good position all race, and leading early in the swim and in the large front on the ride, he raced brilliantly in Paris to finish seventh. His result was the third-best by an Australian male at the Olympics in 20 years.
Fellow Aussie and Olympic debutant Luke faced difficult conditions, and got caught behind the pack, finishing 42nd.
Aussie women, also debuting at the Paris Games, Sophie and Natalie were the first to race and both put in an incredible effort in challenging conditions. Sophie finished 21st, while Natalie performed well to finish 42nd, but like Luke, was impacted by a difficult swim.
The four athletes then focused on rest and recovering before taking part in the mixed relay competition, preparing for a repeat of the difficult conditions in the Seine river and streets of Paris, where Australia placed 12th overall.
