Ironman Worlds: Lucy Charles-Barclay out on eve of race through injury

Defending champion Lucy Charles-Barclay has been forced to pull out of tomorrow’s Ironman World Championship in the south of France because of injury.

The 31-year-old, who was one of the favourites for the race in Nice, announced the decision on Instagram this morning, saying: “It’s with a heavy heart that I share I won’t be able to race in the Ironman World Championships this Sunday.

“I felt some pain in my leg yesterday morning. After consulting with my medical team and some scans we’ve confirmed that the discomfort in my leg is due to a grade 1c muscle strain.

“While it’s a relatively minor issue, racing could turn it into something much more serious, and after what I went through last year, I don’t want to risk facing months of rehabilitation again.

“To all my incredible fans, your support and good wishes mean more to me than I can express. I’ll be there on Sunday, cheering you all on from the sidelines, and sending my best to everyone competing.

“To my fellow athletes racing, I wish you nothing but the best of luck. Go out there and make it a day to remember!”

It’s disappointing news for the popular Charles-Barclay and her legions of fans who were looking forward to seeing what she could deliver on the Cote d’Azur after taking the title in Hawaii last year.

But having worsened an existing Achilles injury when winning on the Big Island, Charles-Barclay then spent months on the sidelines afterwards and did not want to risk the same fate again.

She only decided to race in Nice in June after an initial decision to concentrate solely on the new T100 Series and with three more T100 events remaining, including next weekend in Ibiza, has erred on the side or caution so as not to risk jeopardising the rest of the year.

With Charles-Barclay out, British hopes will rest with the remaining seven GB triathletes on the start-line, including Kat Matthews, India Lee, Fenella Langridge, Ruth Astle and Nikki Bartlett.

Tim Heming Freelance triathlon journalist

About

Experienced sportswriter and journalist, Tim is a specialist in endurance sport and has been filing features for 220 for a decade. Since 2014 he has also written a monthly column tackling the divisive issues in swim, bike and run from doping to governance, Olympic selection to pro prize money and more. Over this time he has interviewed hundreds of paratriathletes and triathletes from those starting out in the sport with inspiring tales to share to multiple Olympic gold medal winners explaining how they achieved their success. As well as contributing to 220, Tim has written on triathlon for publications throughout the world, including The Times, The Telegraph and the tabloid press in the UK.