Olympic Games Triathlon: Potter prepared for everything – with a little help from her friends

Beth Potter says she’s prepared for all eventualities as she looks to justify her favourite’s tag at the Olympics next Wednesday.

The reigning World Champion won the Paris Test Event last year and though she’s been pipped by home hope Cassandre Beaugrand in her last two races, she says everything is on track.

Speaking to the media a week out from the race and in response to a question from TRI247, she also revealed why she’s been putting in extra work on the bike – with the help of two-time Olympic gold medallist Alistair Brownlee.

Prepared ‘for everything’

This will be Potter’s second Olympics, but her first in triathlon after running the 10,000 metres on the track for Team GB in Rio in 2016.

And most of the women’s races over the last couple of seasons have boiled down to a run battle, a repeat of which should put herself and Beaugrand in pole position again.

But two years ago at the Commonwealth Games, Flora Duffy and Georgia Taylor-Brown put down the hammer on the bike to distance themselves from Potter and the rest of the field as they went on to claim gold and silver, with Potter rounding out the podium.

That pair are now back from injury to take their places in Paris – and also there will be American superstar Taylor Knibb who is such a force on two wheels that she’s also racing the road time trial at the Olympics.

It’s led to plenty of speculation that they could join forces on the bike – but that’s not something that fazes Potter.

She told us: “People are going to play to their strengths. Some people might try things on the bike but I covered the moves in Cagliari [at the WTCS event at the end of May] and I feel confident in my preparation that I can spot attacks, I can go with attacks – I might even attack!

“I think Alistair [Brownlee] has definitely prepared me for all eventualities so I feel quite at peace.

“Probably the thing I’ve prepared most for is the bike.

“Just being able to ride in a group and in close proximity, just dealing with potential attacks and being aware of all that. That’s been a bit of a focus.

“It’s gone down to a run battle in virtually every race recently but I’ve got to prepare for everything.”

Enjoying the pressure

And she added that even though herself and Beaugrand are most people’s favourites for gold, she’s taking that in her stride:

“I feel like the pressure’s a little bit off me because Cassandre has won the last two races on the calendar – maybe that was my plan!

But I like knowing I’ve got a target on my back, I enjoy the pressure.

“I want to prove [to myself] that I can do it – but I don’t feel an external pressure.”

[Photo credit: World Triathlon / Wagner Araujo]

Potter booked her Olympic spot nearly a year ago so has been able to have a steady build into Paris, unlike many of her rivals, but she still feels there’s more to come from her – especially on the run.

She explained: “I haven’t quite been myself for the last few races. I’ve felt like I’ve been missing something and we’ve now found it so I’m confident my run is where it’s at.

“I’m just looking forward to it. If it does come down to a run then I feel confident in that and I just want to get racing. I’ve done all the training and now I just need to rest up and recover.”

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