“Gutted not to be selected for The Collins Cup, but I’ve learned in this world, create your opportunities, accept your losses and use adversity to keep pushing your limits.” Emma Pallant-Browne has had a great season so far, with four Middle Distance wins and a second place at Challenge Family The Championship. The only disappointment for her was the PTO Canadian Open, where she struggled with a flat tire. Pallant-Browne might be ranked ninth in the world according to the PTO ranking, she is still not selected as a captain’s pick for the PTO Collins Cup in Samorin later this month. Instead, Nicola Spirig and Holly Lawrence were selected for Team Europe. Fellow pro athletes have stated not to understand this decision and support Pallant-Browne.
Pallant-Browne is not the only one who feels frustrated not to be selected, also Frederic Funk – who’s had an incredible season – feels overlooked. For the men’s race, Daniel Baekkegard and Sam Laidlow received the “wildcard”.
In a comment under Pallant-Browne’s post, Tim Don calls it a commercial decision, which means he openly supports Pallant-Browne. Also, Lucy Charles doesn’t understand how Pallant-Browne was not selected: “For clarity; I threw my hat in the ring as a wild card selection, I fully understand the reasons for not picking me, given that I am yet to race and demonstrate I am at the required standard to compete and with so many amazing European athletes to choose from. But to not pick Emma Pallant-Browne after the results she has had already this season, shocking, and shame on the decision makers for allowing biases to cloud judgment.”
Pallant-Browne replies, saying: “Thanks Lucy, coming from the ‘Queen of Triathlon’ that means a lot! For what it’s worth, you would have 100 percent been my pick!”
Jocelyn McCauley, Reece Barclay, Nikki Bartlett, Laura Siddall, and Ellie Salthouse, that’s just some names of pro athletes that have also expressed that they don’t understand the decision. Pallant-Browne herself said: “I’ve learned in this world, create your opportunities, accept your losses and use adversity to keep pushing your limits.”
