Sam Laidlow reveals change of plan as he withdraws from IRONMAN Western Australia

Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Sam Laidlow is out of IRONMAN Western Australia in Busselton on December 7 and has called an earlier-than-expected halt to his 2025 season.

The 2023 IRONMAN World Champion has recovered brilliantly after an injury and illness-hit start to the year, claiming a sensational comeback victory at Challenge Roth in July and then following that up at IRONMAN Leeds three weeks later.

The Frenchman was also to the fore in an absorbing IRONMAN World Championship in Nice as five men started the run together before a Norwegian 1-2-3 as they were followed home by Belgium’s Marten Van Riel and Laidlow.

‘I pushed a bit too hard’

Having started the season late, Laidlow then added IRONMAN Western Australia to his schedule, explaining the main goal was to validate his 2026 Kona slot.

But posting again on Instagram, he revealed why plans had changed: “Tuning in with some not-so-great news. I’ve made the decision to withdraw from Ironman Western Australia.

“When I finally got back into proper training in May, I was determined to extend my season a little longer to “catch up” on what I’d missed earlier in the year. After the World Championship I felt motivated, especially with my running. Roth and Leeds had shown progress, and for whatever reason I couldn’t execute that at Worlds – so I doubled down. I ran more. A lot more. I wanted to end the season proving to myself that I can run with the best.

“But I pushed a bit too hard, and over the last few weeks I’ve been dealing with pain in my Achilles and foot. Experience has taught me to zoom out, trust the bigger picture, give my body the time it needs, and show up when I’m truly fit and healthy. Full-distance Ironmans are a different beast , they are not something you just get through – and that’s exactly why we love them.”

‘Fired up for the future’

So having raced three full-distance events in 2025 he will now focus on some rest before building up to the 2026 schedule.

He added: “I’ll take a couple of weeks off now to fully recover and let this short but sweet season sink in.

“I am truly sorry to disappoint any of those who wanted to see me down under in Busso. I promise I’ll be back.

“And lastly I just wanted to say a massive thank you for all the love and support we have received this year, it really means the world and has kept me fired up for the future!”

Sam Laidlow IRONMAN World Championship Nice 2025 run — Sam Laidlow heads to the line at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice 2025 [Photo credit: IRONMAN]

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

Let’s race… Challenge Forte Village Sardinia

Are calf sleeves actually worth it for triathletes? How many watts aero calf compression sleeves could save you

Laura Siddall Patagonman Xtreme Triathlon 2023

Premium Are we in a triathlon boom, or hurtling towards burnout? Laura Siddall on the growth of the sport

Is sports nutrition bad for you? Ultra-processed foods are under siege, and athletes are caught in the cross fire – but should we be worried?

Challenge Barcelona 2023 - Photo Credit: Jose Luis Hourcade

The ultimate city break triathlon race-cations: from Challenge Barcelona to Singapore T100 these are the best city centre races to combine multisport with sightseeing