Her competitors will undoubtedly be scratching their heads; it is crystal clear that France’s Leonie Periault is in terrifyingly good shape well before the (Short Distance) triathlon season has even truly begun. Competing at the Berlin Half Marathon, Periault clocked a staggering 1:09:25 last weekend.
Periault is coming off a stellar 2025 campaign, highlighted by a victory at WTCS Hamburg and a remarkably consistent record of finishing inside the top five in six out of her seven WTCS starts. Now, as she prepares for the 2026 season opener in Samarkand later this month, her running pedigree has reached new heights. Her time of 1:09:25 stands as one of the fastest half marathon times ever recorded by a female triathlete.
To put the performance into perspective:
- National Proximity: Periault finished just over a minute shy of the French national record (1:08:20).
- Consistency: She placed 14th overall in a deep elite field, clocking every 5km split in the mid-16 minutes range.
- The Field: Maintaining sub-1:10 pace serves as a major warning shot to the field ahead of the World Triathlon Championship Series.
