Under near-perfect racing conditions, Harry Palmer and Kat Matthews delivered winning performances at Ironman 70.3 Swansea, with both athletes showcasing dominance in different phases of the race. While the men’s race came down to a tight and tactical run battle, Matthews took control early on the bike and never looked back.
Men’s Race: Run Decides Battle of the Big Guns
A competitive men’s field assembled on the start line, and it quickly became clear that it would be a tightly contested race. Germany’s Jannik Schaufler clocked the fastest swim of the day in 22:40, emerging from the water alongside a lead pack that included Andrew Horsfall-Turner, Joshua Lewis, Ollie Turner, Samuel Dickinson, and Kieran Lindars.
Just behind them, Harry Palmer exited the water roughly 45 seconds adrift in sixth position, riding in a chase group that featured heavy hitters like Kristian Høgenhaug. Before the 20km mark, Palmer’s group bridged up to the leaders, creating a front pack of nine, including France’s Leon Chevalier – setting the stage for a fierce battle on the run.
The dynamics remained relatively unchanged on the bike, with no one able to force a decisive breakaway. That meant all eyes were on the half-marathon to decide the victor. Out on the run, it was Dickinson and Palmer who took charge early, while Chevalier stayed within striking distance about 20 seconds back. Lindars, McDonald, and Høgenhaug also hovered not far behind.
Palmer made his move just past the halfway point of the run, gradually pulling away from Dickinson and putting time into the rest of the field. With a composed and strong second half, Palmer secured the win in 3:51:18. Chevalier surged late to take second in 3:52:07, and Lindars rounded out the podium with 3:52:29.
Women’s Race: Matthews Dominates After Early Swim Deficit
The women’s race played out quite differently. After the swim, Kat Matthews found herself in chase mode, exiting the water in seventh and 2:14 behind early leader Hannah Munday, who led a tight front group alongside Daisy Davies, Hanne de Vet, Jasmine Holmes, Molly Savill, Lizzie Rayner, and Hannah Knighton.
But Matthews quickly began to eat into her deficit on the bike. By the 45km mark, she had not only bridged the gap but taken the lead – and once she hit the front, there was no turning back. She went solo and maintained her lead all the way to T2.
Though her advantage never grew to a huge margin, she remained in control. At the second transition, Matthews led by 2:18 over Rebecca Anderbury, with Anne Reischmann another 20 seconds back. On the run, Matthews maintained her pace, even extending her lead slightly over the final kilometers.
Matthews crossed the line victorious in 4:20:37, with Anderbury taking second in 4:23:54. Behind them, Daniela Kleiser ran her way into third, overtaking Reischmann late in the race to finish in 4:24:33.
