Ashleigh Gentle opens up on ‘brutal’ and ‘soul-crushing’ T100 climax in Dubai

Ashleigh Gentle opens up on ‘brutal’ and ‘soul-crushing’ T100 climax in Dubai

She could barely have done more and her performance helped provide a fitting ending to the women’s T100 Triathlon World Tour season.

For Ashleigh Gentle bounced back from what had been a shattering defeat in her previous T100 race in Ibiza with an all-or-nothing display in Dubai.

In the end she was left empty-handed in terms of the race win and the title but she went incredibly close to both.

Asking the question

The equation was relatively simply for the Aussie, though hugely difficult. She needed to win and hope that Taylor Knibb – with three T100 wins out of three this season going into the finale – finished third or lower.

And Gentle looked to be fulfilling her part of the bargain as she clung onto the front pack in the swim and then stayed within range of uber-biker Knibb.

It meant that she had just under three minutes to make up on the 18km run and she’d whittled that below a minute after 10km.

But the progress then stalled as Knibb responded. And the effort – plus the brutal heat and humidity – told late on as Gentle was reduced to a walk.

She was overhauled late on for second by Olympic silver medallist Julie Derron but had done so much to animate the race.

‘I gave it everything’

So no wonder mixed emotions when interviewed soon after as she admitted: “It’s still pretty fresh, but I went for the win and it was so painful!”

“I gave it everything and got third in the end but I’m proud of my effort. It is pretty brutal – when I wasn’t feeling too good and Derron just flew past me on the run, it was super soul-crushing, but I did what I could.”

Ashleigh Gentle run at T100 Dubai 2024 photo credit PTO / T100
Ashleigh Gentle closed to within less than a minute on the run [Photo credit: PTO / T100]

It was a world away from the last time she faced Knibb, with the American effectively lapping her early on the run in Ibiza.

And this display potentially puts down a real marker for next year, with Gentle adding: “All the athletes that I’ve been racing this year have been motivating me and inspiring me in training.

“I feel like I’ve been applying myself more, better than I ever have, because the level of the women’s field is just getting better and better and just trying to keep up is pretty difficult.”

Taylor has just been dominating and when you’re racing an athlete like that, it is sometimes really difficult to truly believe that you can beat them.

“But I had this little fire in my belly… I have no reason to believe that I can beat her, but I’m on the start line and that means I have got a chance, so I just had to believe that. I didn’t beat her but feel like I was a step closer and did everything I could to try and get there.”

Jonathan Turner

Written by

Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  

Discover more

winter cycling

Winter cycling gear guide – Essential cycling kit and accessories to keep riding all year round

Wahoo Kickr Run female runner treadmill

How to increase your VO2 max – What running VO2 max means and the treadmill sessions to boost yours

Pro triathlete Imogen Simmonds riding a Canyon Speedmax

Can your tri suit actually make you faster? The latest tech and how it could help your race day performance

Wahoo KICKR RUN treadmill indoor running marathon workouts

Best treadmill workouts for marathon training

TRI-FIT Rapid X goggles Jenny Lucas-Hill

TRI-FIT RAPID-X swimming goggles review – A contender for the best swim goggles for pool and open water?

latest News

David McNamee T100 Dubai Finish Line Retirement

British triathlon star David McNamee writes a storybook ending to a great career as he retires at T100 Dubai

Knibb Derron Gentle women podium T100 Dubai 2024 photo credit PTO / T100

Unstoppable Taylor Knibb poised to go for 70.3 Worlds hat-trick after T100 domination

Hayden Wilde taking the win on debut at the Garmin Noosa Triathlon 2023

Hayden Wilde TOO FAST for race officials when winning Phuket Triathlon as Kate Waugh retains women’s title

Alastair Brownlee finish arch T100 Dubai 2024 photo credit PTO / T100

Alistair Brownlee “spins the dice” and overcomes YET MORE adversity to finish T100 campaign on a high

Marten Van Riel finish line T100 Dubai 2024 photo credit PTO / T100

T100 Dubai Grand Final Results 2024: Van Riel takes win and title as Brownlee claims first T100 podium

Read More