Team GB gold medallist's emotional motivation for San Francisco showdown

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Jess Learmonth, 37, made her T100 Triathlon World Tour debut in Singapore in April, returning to competitive action following the birth of her son in 2023, and finished 13th
Jess Learmonth is relishing the chance to race in front of her son Fred for the first time on the T100 circuit in San Francisco. The 37-year-old made her T100 Triathlon World Tour debut in Singapore in April, returning to competitive action following the birth of her son in 2023, and finished 13th.
Learmonth, who was part of the British team to grab Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, made an instant impact in the Singaporean heat, leading after both the swim and bike, before a brutal run leg saw her slip out of pole position and to the middle of the field.
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However, despite battling hot conditions and being forced to stop and walk for long periods of time, Learmonth felt there were still plenty of positives to take from her first outing of the season.
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"I went in with zero expectation or knowledge of how I will race," she said. "You can train as much as you want but if you've not raced at this level for four years, you have no idea where you'll sit.
"I was so happy with the swim and the bike and where I was.
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"Obviously the run was diabolical but to actually be up there and be involved was a really positive thing for me, and it helped me gain a little bit more confidence with the training I've been doing.
"Looking from the outside, it could look pretty disastrous as a race result, but I definitely had positive takeaways from it. I just need to not race in such heat, and which is going to be the complete opposite this weekend."
Learmonth now suits up for the second leg of the season in San Francisco, a circuit known for it's cold swim, hilly course and windy conditions. It's an exciting new challenge for the Brit, who usually favours colder conditions and is based in Leeds for her training. And with her husband John and son Fred on the sidelines this time round, Learmonth is equipped with a fresh sense of perspective.
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"Fred didn't come to Singapore, and although it was easier logistically without him there, you have anxiety because you're not with him," she said. "This time he has come, and it was a bit more stressful with the 12-hour flight with a toddler, but it's lovely having him here.
"When I was struggling in Singapore, it was Fred and family and friends in my mind that kept me going,
"When I was an athlete before having him, it was all on me, whereas now I have so much more support from people looking after Fred so I can train. They're sacrificing a lot for me to come and race, so there's so much more riding on the races that I do now. For me to not finish just felt like a failure. I just didn't want to let them down in a way. That's basically what kept me going."
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Preparation for the San Francisco event has been full of ups and downs for Learmonth, who has been rehabbing a calf tear that she picked up just six weeks ago during training. But with so little race experience over the last four years, she is just excited to get back on the start line.
"I'm here to gain consistency and get some races under my belt," she said. "Any race I do, because I've not done so many in the last four years, I'm going to gain experience and knowledge and learn from.
"I'm hoping to have a similar swim, bike, and then just improve that run, and be a bit more competitive to then build on that during the rest of the season."