Olympic and Paralympic Stars Land in Abu Dhabi

The world’s best triathletes have arrived in Abu Dhabi ready for this weekend’s World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi presented by Daman.

The showpiece event, organized by Abu Dhabi Sports Council and hosted at Yas Marina Circuit, welcomes 232 elite athletes competing across both the World Triathlon Championship Series elite men’s and women’s sprint races, and the World Triathlon Para Championships.

Hosted over two days of incredible action, spectators in the grandstands and sports fans around the world watching online and via the global TV broadcast can look forward to watching the elite action on Friday 5 November.

The following day, Saturday 6 November, over 1,700 amateur athletes will take to the waterways and tracks of Yas Marina Circuit in the community races with triathlon, duathlon, running, swimming and cycling race categories available for all ages and abilities.

In the elite’s women’s sprint race, fans will be delighted with triathlon titans toeing the line. The field of 55 top ranked women includes current world number 1 Laura Lindemann; Olympic gold medallist and Bermuda’s sweetheart Flora Duffy OBE; and a contingent of strong British athletes including Olympic medallist Georgia Taylor-Brown and Ironman 70.3 World Champion Lucy Charles-Barclays.

“I am so excited to be here and to start the 2022 season here in Abu Dhabi. It feels strange that being the Olympic and World Champion I missed the first race of the season in Hamburg and I have a really high start number, so it will be a matter of performing well and getting ready for the season.” Commented Flora Duffy

“I am ready to go full gas from the swim, and I feel confident. I have raced here in Abu Dhabi in the Yas Marina Circuit and I really like it. Is technical and fast, and the field is really impressive. It will be a magnificent race.”

The elite men’s race will also have the crowds on the edge of their seats. Current world number 1 Tim Hellwig from Germany and world number 2 Paul Georgenthum from France will go head-to-head. They’re expecting tough competition from the rest of the field which includes Olympic bronze medallist Hayden Wilde, who is in fantastic race form, and 2019 world champion Vincent Luis.

The World Triathlon Para Championships, which is being hosting in Abu Dhabi for the very first time, will include nine sport classes of para triathlon, competing across six medal events per gender resulting in 12 World Champions being crowned in Abu Dhabi on Friday 6 November. The field boasts an array of Paralympic stars including gold medallists Jetze Plat from the Netherlands, Susana Rodriguez from Spain, Alexis Hanquinquant from France and Clare Cashmore from Great Britain.

“I am so happy to race here in Abu Dhabi for the first time. The Formula 1 circuit is amazing, and the people here so welcoming it is a pleasure to be here.” Said Jetze Plat.

“The season has been a long one but a victory here will be a great way to round it up. The conditions will be hard, but the Tokyo preparation for the heat will come handy now, and conditions will be the same for everyone, so I am ready to do my best.”

“I’m delighted to welcome these stars back to Abu Dhabi to compete in what will be the 6th year of the World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi. We are proud of what this event has grown to become and we can’t wait to see the sport’s finest athletes back in Abu Dhabi. The field is packed with Olympic and Paralympic stars, all of them at their very peak after competing in Japan, so we are expecting an unforgettable weekend of captivating action” said His Excellency Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

“Whilst the event will be beamed around the world and millions will be watching, we are also looking forward to safely welcoming back the local community who we know have a huge appetite for seeing live sport once again. Of course, the community will also be taking to the start line on Saturday in our range of age group races – I wish all those racing, whether a first-timer or an Olympic champion – the very best of luck.”

Friday will see the Elite Races of the World Triathlon Para Championships start at 8am, with the Elite Race Men's Sprint Distance and the Elite Race Women's Sprint Distance starting at 2.11pm and 4.11pm respectively. On Saturday, the Age Group Races and Junior races will start from 7am.

A host of village entertainment, kids’ zones, retailer booths, and food and beverage will be on offer for the whole family to enjoy alongside the racing. Entrance to the Event Village and spectator grandstands is free for all. All participants and spectators must present a green Alhosn app and a negative PCR test within 96 hours to gain access to event venue at Yas Marina Circuit.

The World Championship Series Abu Dhabi presented by Daman will mark the second stop of the World Triathlon Championship Series in 2022, a season that will finish in style with Abu Dhabi hosting the best triathletes in the world in November 2022 for the World Triathlon Championship Finals.