Updated May 23, 2026 at 12:24 p.m
After four previous attempts to go the distance in 2025 – placing 12th, ninth, fourth and second – Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) claimed her first T100 win, beating 2025 runner-up Julie Deron (Switzerland) with a strong performance across swim, bike and run in the scorching Pamplona heat.
It’s been a strong start to 2026 for Taylor Brown after what she described as Off year in 2025most notably a second place at the World Cup in Lanzarote and a fourth place at WTCS Samarkand. Part of the success appears to be down to renewed confidence through her new setup with the PTC training group led by Glenn Pollionis, which includes Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) and her partner Vincent Lewis (FRA).
That environment – and there will probably be some adjustments to it Heat training – It seemed to pay off in Pamplona as Taylor Brown handled the conditions better than Deron. Both athletes later explained that they approached the race with very different tactics, with Deron saying her coach wanted her to “go until she exploded”, while Taylor-Brown took a more precise approach.
“I was trying to be smart racing the bike because it was so hot.”
The attractive turquoise tank that hosted the two-kilometre swim was a stark contrast to the conditions seen in Former T100 station on the Gold CoastWhere Taylor Knipp (USA) defeated Jessica Fullagar (GB).
None of these athletes are lined up to race in Spain, but the women’s field still includes plenty of notable additions, including Holly Lawrence returning to the T100 and Sophie Evans (GBR) competing again at this distance after becoming a mother this time last year. There were also emerging middle distance names such as recent Valencia 70.3 winner Katja Schar (Switzerland) and Audrey Merle (FRA), who impressed earlier this season in Oceanside.
However, one notable absentee was defending champion Kate Waugh (GBR), Who withdrew late in the period leading up to it After the injury in the calf worsened.
Unsurprisingly, hometown favorite Sara Pérez Sala (ESP) led the swim on home soil, with a front group of about 11 athletes close behind, including Deron, who can occasionally step out to the back. The biggest name missing from that leading group was former T100 winner India Lee (GBR), whose season has finally begun. She came out after more than two minutes and then finally pulled out.
On a challenging and hilly bike course – not the typical flat T100 layout – it didn’t take long for Perez Sala to relinquish the lead as Taylor Brown moved strongly to the front while Deron moved steadily through the field. Fellow Swiss athlete and training partner Alanis Seifert was fastest in the chasing pack, eventually working her way to the front of the race.
Halfway through the bike, the front group narrowed down to four main athletes – Deron, Taylor Brown, Imogen Simmonds (Switzerland), and Hanne de Wit (Belgium) – although the race remained close as frequent climbs and descents continually split the group before the riders worked their way back.
In the final third of the bike, Siffert surged forward with her signature riding style and began to dictate the pace. She eventually reached T2 with the fastest cyclist, with only compatriot Deron hot on her heels. Taylor Brown came soon after, although the slower turnaround briefly made it look like the race might have been down.
At this point, in the commentary, Vicky Holland noted:
“I’m not sure she can afford to lose so much time.”
Because, with the slower transition, Derron had already gone into the race with a 45-second lead, quickly moved into the lead past Siffert and was looking strong. But what Holland didn’t know was how much Deron was actually suffering from the heat.
“When I started running, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to do 18 kilometers of this run.’ I felt really rough getting off the bike.” Deron later admitted after the race.
Meanwhile, Taylor-Brown said she felt strong during the first laps of the run, perhaps helped by the quieter T2 that allowed her to adjust her heart rate and maximize her cool down. It quickly became clear that the momentum had changed. After a strong opening a few miles behind Deron, the gap began to close quickly as Taylor Brown passed Sivert for the first time before passing Deron on an uphill section of the track.
However, with temperatures over 90 degrees, the race never felt completely safe, and after the race, Taylor-Brown later revealed that she was struggling on the third lap, not helped by the fact that “there was no water left in the aid stations.”
In the end, though, she had enough to hang on for her first T100 win, winning by 1:20 over Deron, while Taylor Spivey stormed through the field with one of the fastest runs of the day to finish third.
After the race, Taylor Brown said:
“I feel good in training, just strong, happy and in a really good place. I’m really enjoying my new coach and my new group, so this is for them.”
Next up for Taylor Brown is to return to short track racing in Alghero for the first time Olympic qualification points for Los Angeles 2028 Officially enters into force. The T100 Series now heads to San Francisco for the men’s race on June 6, while the women await a rematch in Vancouver on August 15.
