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8 hours ago
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Beth Potter says she has felt less pressure this year as she seeks to clinch a second world triathlon title on Sunday.
The British Olympic bronze medallist is joint leader with defending champion Cassandre Beaugrand of France before the final event in Australia.
Potter admitted the build-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics and event itself took its toll.
"I was going in as one of the favourites to win Olympic gold and there was a lot of pressure and expectation on that one day," said the Scottish triathlete, 33.
"It was really hard and I felt like I could never really get into my groove last year.
"I struggled when I got off the bike to feel like myself running and it was really frustrating as there was no reason for it, because it wasn't like that in training.
"It just shows how much pressure I put on myself that year to come away with a medal. I don't think I've ever dug as deep as I did in that Olympic race to get that medal and it meant so much to me to just get the bronze."
She won the World Triathlon Championship Series from Beaugrand in 2023 before roles were reversed last year.
Potter has tried a new coaching set-up this year and spent nearly a month at altitude in the Swiss alpine resort of St Moritz.
"I just never found any part of my running easy last year and that was the one thing I always relied on to get myself out of trouble in races. It took me longer than I thought to recover off the back of that Olympic race," she said.
"Even just to enjoy doing triathlons again, it took me a good few months of off-season and getting back into the new season to actually think I wanted to be on the start line and race, and enjoy it. That was quite hard for me as it's my job, my livelihood.
"It's taken me a bit of time at the start of the year to get to grips with some new training and part of it was mentally getting over the toll last year took on my mind and body. I'm really enjoying the new training methods and trying something a little different. It's the lowest risk year to try something."
Potter is tied with Olympic champion Beaugrand on 2,925 points but insists Sunday's finale in Wollangong is "not a two-horse-race.
There is a gap of more than 200 points to the chasing pack led by Jeanne Lehair, ahead of Lisa Tertsch and Leonie Periault, with 1,250 points on offer to the winner in Australia.
The Scot will be cheered on by several family members - including two aunts who live nearby - as she takes on the 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run.
When Potter is pushing to cross the line, she will remember her friend Sam O'Shea. He died after being hit by a motorbike while cycling in France last month.
She found motivation in the tragedy just days after it happened when victorious in the Czech Republic, the first of two race wins this season.
"When I was really hurting in that race and was a minute behind coming off the bike, a big part of it was to do it because I could and there was some extra motivation because of Sam," she said.
"It would be nice to do the same this weekend, but I just want to go out and enjoy it because I am able to."
O'Shea, 27, the partner of fellow triathlete Lucy Byram, represented Gibraltar at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and was part of the triathlon squad in Leeds where Potter is based.
"It was a hard couple of days leading into that race. Sam was quite a big part of our training group. He was one of the coaches poolside, a bike mechanic who often sorted my bikes out. I spent many happy mornings on cafe rides with him," she said.
"He was very dry, fun to be around. He was a great support, kind, generous and would go out of his way to help other people. He is going be very much missed.
"It was emotional for me, for the rest of the team, just seeing how devastating it had been, especially for his loved ones. It was really tragic.
"It made me realise life is really precious and you only get one shot."
After the weekend, Potter is setting no immediate targets although the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is likely to be a long-term goal.
"I'm taking one season at a time. I'll get Sunday out of the way first," she said.
"I've achieved more than I thought I would in this sport. Nothing will match the level of pressure I felt last year. It almost seems like a bit of a relief for it to be 2025.
"I've enjoyed my racing this year. Hopefully I can hang on to that form for a couple of days."
