As one of the original 13, Jodie and her distinctive racing-off-the-front style was a perfect match for Bahrain Endurance as it sought to make its mark on the world. Probably the grittiest female racer on the circuit, Jodie guarantees the racing red is out in front at every race she toes the line at. She has only finished off the podium in less than 30 percent of the races she competes in!

A phenomenal swimmer and one of the sport’s strongest bike riders, she has made many of her peers eat bubbles and dust. This has set up some amazing bike showdowns between herself and fellow teammates, as in the 2015 Ironman World Championship when she and Daniela Ryf pushed the pace on the Queen K.

Jodie was one of the first athletes to bring a regional championship home for Bahrain Endurance 13 with a win at the Ironman African Championship in 2015. When a freak crash took her out of the title defense with a broken elbow the following year, she came back eight weeks later at the Ironman Asia Pacific Championship and stormed to the win. A few weeks later, she led wire-to-wire to take the 2016 ITU Long Course world title and add to Bahrain Endurance’s world championship haul.

But alongside or even better than her sporting accolades, Jodie is outspoken and intelligent, which is a dynamite combination for a professional athlete. Team manager Chris McCormack says, “I think Jodie brings this charisma, this energy to the team. It’s fantastic. And she has an opinion. She’s not a fence-sitter.”

Her athleticism, ethic, positivity and “never-give-up” racing mentality are key ingredients that make her a positive role model within the team. These attributes shone through during her pregnancy in 2017, when she approached impending motherhood with the same determination to excel at it as she has at being the best athlete she can be. It is this same drive to be the best that makes her imminent comeback this year all the more thrilling.

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Lauren Parker Leads Bahrain Victorious 13’s Medal Haul at World Championships

Lauren Parker Leads Bahrain Victorious 13’s Medal Haul at World Championships

The Bahrain Victorious 13 captured an impressive medal haul at the World Triathlon Championships in Wollongong, Australia this weekend.

Lauren Parker led the campaign, winning two medals including her fifth paratriathlon world title.

The paratriathlon races opened the elite competition on Saturday, where Parker once again proved untouchable. She led from the front, exiting the 750-metre swim first, hammering the 20-kilometre handbike leg with the day’s fastest split, and then powering through the 5-kilometre wheelchair run to cross the line 70 seconds clear of her nearest rival.

Unbeaten all year, Parker’s home victory carried extra meaning as she reclaimed the crown she relinquished last season.

“Everyone was so supportive out there and it definitely made me push a little bit harder,” Parker said post-race. “I wanted to get back on top again and I really worked hard for this one and I’m just happy to get it done.”

She also revealed her next sporting ambition: to qualify for the Winter Paralympic Games, with ongoing training in cross-country skiing and biathlon.

On Sunday, Parker added to her tally with a silver medal in the Para Mixed Relay World Championships, helping the Australian team to a podium finish.

In the men’s elite race, Vasco Vilaça placed fifth to secure the overall World Triathlon Championship Series bronze medal, returning to the world podium for the first time since earning silver at the one-day championship in Hamburg in 2020.

Emma Lombardi also delivered a standout performance, claiming bronze in the women’s race – her best finish of the season – and vaulting seven places to 11th overall in the Series standings. She swam into the pointy end on the 1.5-kilometre swim alongside compatriot Cassandre Beaugrand, then attacked on the 40-kilometre bike to lead onto the 10-kilometre run where she battled against the eventual winner and series champion Lisa Tertsch and a hard-charging Bianca Seregni to hold onto the final spot on the podium.

Beaugrand, who had stayed in the lead pack throughout the swim and bike, was forced to withdraw on the run to conclude her season ranked seventh overall.

The results in Wollongong wrap up the Bahrain Victorious 13’s short course season. The team now turns its attention to middle distance racing with the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, Spain and Ironman 70.3 Bahrain on the horizon, as well as the T100 Tour’s final two stops in Dubai and Qatar.

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Kat Matthews Runs to Silver and a Record Finish in Kona

Kat Matthews Runs to Silver and a Record Finish in Kona

Kat Matthews led the charge for the Bahrain Victorious 13 on Saturday, taking her third IRONMAN World Championship silver medal at the historic final all-women’s race in Kona, Hawaii. The British star also set a new run course record on the way to her first-ever...

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