Doha, Qatar: New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde and Great Britain’s Kate Waugh were crowned T100 Triathlon World Champions after winning the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final in Lusail yesterday.
Wilde capped a phenomenal season with his sixth victory of the year, completing a perfect campaign that saw him win every T100 race he entered. For Waugh, a dramatic victory – crossing the line on her knees through sheer exhaustion – sealed her first ever World Championship title.
Both athletes had prepared for the finale with training camps in Abu Dhabi following the Dubai T100 in November, using the UAE capital’s world-class facilities and similar climate to acclimatise for Qatar conditions.
Wilde’s win was never in doubt. The Olympic bronze medallist led into T2 after a blistering bike leg and controlled the 18km run to cross the line in 3:06:08. His sixth victory of the season – following wins in Singapore, London, the French Riviera, Spain and Wollongong – earned him a perfect score across the 2025 T100 season.
The triumph is all the more remarkable given the horror bike crash Wilde suffered in Japan at the start of May, which punctured his lung, broke six ribs and left him needing surgery on his left scapula.
“It’s pretty special from starting in Singapore, then being in hospital for a bit, and then coming back and winning a few races, and then finishing here in Qatar,” said Wilde. “It’s been a long season but it’s nice to finish up.”
“I just came into this race with open eyes and I was like hey, I’ve made it back to racing fit and healthy, and that’s more of a title that I’ll take to the grave than obviously the T100 series. I’m really happy with how everything’s gone this year.”
Wilde takes $25,000 for the win in Qatar – added to the $125,000 already earned in race wins this year – plus $200,000 for winning the T100 Race to Qatar.
President of the Qatar Olympic Committee H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani with Chairman of Qatar Tourism H E Saad bin Ali Al-Kharji and President of World Triathlon Antonio Arimany during the trophy presentation for winners of the men’s event yesterday.
Morgan Pearson of the USA produced a storming run to finish second in 3:07:23, moving up to 4th in the final standings. Belgium’s Marten Van Riel, the 2024 world champion, came home third in 3:08:14.
Waugh’s win was anything but comfortable. The 26-year-old from Gateshead led from the front throughout but paid for her efforts in the closing stages, slowing to a walk in the final straight before stumbling to her knees as she crossed the line in 3:31:30. “Oh my gosh, that was the most dramatic way to win the world title,” said Waugh. “I’ve always been a bit of a drama queen, so perhaps that was the best way to win it. I’m completely overwhelmed with emotion right now.”
“That had it all. It was just hard from start to finish. I think I cried a bit on the bike, I just was suffering so much. Going onto the last lap I felt the floor starting to tilt a bit and I was like ‘oh I’m in trouble now’. I just held it together and then Georgia was putting me under pressure and I luckily just got across the line.”
