Fresh off her first-ever T100 victory on home soil in London last month, Lucy Charles-Barclay has doubled down with another dominant performance – this time at T100 Spain. It was a day to remember for British triathlon, with Charles-Barclay leading a full sweep of the women’s podium alongside compatriots Kate Waugh and Jessica Learmonth.
From the opening swim, the British trio set the tone, joined only by Spain’s fast-starting Sara Perez Sala. On the bike, the quartet worked well together and never allowed the chase pack to get within striking distance.
The dynamics shifted midway through the ride when Learmonth was handed a one-minute penalty for alleged drafting. Clearly frustrated, she argued she had simply been overtaken and boxed in – but regardless of intent, the penalty cost her dearly. Around the same time, Perez Sala also lost touch, leaving Charles-Barclay and Waugh at the front on their own.
By T2, the British duo started the 18 km run side by side, with Learmonth about a minute back in third and the chase group over three minutes down. Both leaders briefly lost time in transition after dropping nutrition gels, but quickly regrouped and settled into stride. For the first 10 kilometers, Waugh dictated the pace with Charles-Barclay glued to her shoulder.
At the 10k mark, Charles-Barclay made her move. Whether it was her trademark strength or Waugh beginning to fade, the surge proved decisive. Charles-Barclay ran clear and never looked back, storming to victory in 3:29:29. Waugh held strong for second in 3:31:29, while Learmonth – despite her penalty – completed the all-British podium in 3:33:27.