British Triathlon CEO Ruth Daniels: “I have the opportunity to influence the growth of triathlon”

Ruth Daniels joined British Triathlon as CEO in January, having most recently worked as chief legal officer at UK fashion brand Superdry. She lives in the Cotswolds but spends a lot of time in Loughborough and London. Here she explains why she loves tri and the unique opportunity her role provides.

It’s been a busy almost 12 months at British Triathlon, but I’m trying to ensure I have a life outside of work too! I love spending time with my dog and family in the Cotswolds, open-water swimming and watching any sport that I can. I love the live atmosphere of a sporting event or music festival and love experiencing and learning about new cultures. 

It’s a sport I love and want others to love too! 

I did my first triathlon at an LPS event in the Cotswolds in 2016. Triathlon has such a strong community, so the best thing for me was completing it with great friends and feeling a real sense of achievement at the finish line. It’s also not far from my home, so keeping it local combined my passion for sport with my love of where I live.

If I could race anywhere in the world, I’d still pick the Cotswolds. The Blenheim Palace Triathlon is nearby and is a beautiful venue, so I’d definitely head back there again. That said, with LA and Brisbane hosting the next Olympic and Paralympic Games, I feel that they should be on my radar! 

“I have the opportunity to influence the growth of triathlon”

My triathlon goal is to continue to enjoy the sport! Running is definitely not my strong point – not least because of my crumbling knees – but that’s what is great about triathlon, there are so many ways to stay involved with the mix of the swim, bike, run disciplines.

I wanted to become CEO at British Triathlon because I believe that sport can transform lives. The opportunity, variety and community within triathlon and swim, bike, run mean there are so many ways to feel its impact. As CEO, I have the opportunity to influence the growth and development of triathlon by supporting those currently involved and introducing more people to it. It’s a sport I love and want others to love too! 

I’ve been most impressed by the incredible community that exists around triathlon, from grassroots to the elite level. The huge commitment we have from our staff and volunteer workforce and how much we do with not very much resource really demonstrates this. Having revived the Gold Pin Awards in June, it’s clear that the strength of the sport is its people.

I get to see the depth and breadth of the sport and have been inspired by so much. For me, it’s seeing and hearing stories of children giving the sport a go through things like Active Skills for Life, our Swim Bike Run programme or the Brownlee Foundation, where they otherwise might not have had a chance.

Seeing the looks on people’s faces as they cross the line is heartwarming. They’ve taken part, it’s their own race, their own challenge, their own finish line, and that’s what matters.

I think we can improve on raising the awareness and profile of the sport. I’m passionate about highlighting the incredible stories in our community from our grassroots to elite athletes and the impact triathlon has had on their lives. I also want to give a voice to our community on issues that impact them and overlap with their other passions.

Areas such as the environment and water quality, improving accessibility and diversity within participation, major events and commercial partnerships, and using technology and data are all areas where members can help us make an impact.

My advice for anyone thinking about getting into triathlon is just tri! Seriously, give it a go and enjoy it! There’s loads of information and opportunities on the British Triathlon website.

Have a read of some of our other columnists:

• Martyn Brunt on the mental toughness of endurance swimmers
• Liam Colebrook: I owe so much to triathlon for saving my life
• How to unlock the power of triathlon