Inside the mind of one of the world’s top-ranking triathletes, Emma Pallant-Browne , ahead of the Professional Triathletes Organisation’s new London T100 Triathlon . Conquering a triathlon at the highest level takes strength and determination. Which is why it may not come as too much of a surprise that British star Emma Pallant-Browne, 34, who was born in Surrey but now lives in Johannesburg, has reached her success, by enduring broken bones and mid-race collapses along the way.
Now training ahead of the London T100 event (27 to 28 July), the PTO World #9 reflects on the determination needed to reach the top of her game. Before she turned 30 in 2019, Emma had already put together a hugely impressive sporting CV: from a European U23 cross-country champion title, a world-class middle-distance runner, world titles in aquathlon and duathlon, runner-up at the 70.3 World Championship, and a stack of 70.
3 wins. All the more noteworthy was her running career, which was all but ended by knee problems. Emma had just missed out on selection for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and was focused on making the Team GB squad for London 2012.
But she pulled up injured in the 5,000m Olympic trials, her latest setback after knee surgery. That low though would turn out to be the start of her triathlon journey. “I was a runner and then I got injured after trying to make the 2012 Olympics and having dropped out of the trials.
I had done so much bike and swim training to keep fit, my mentor, Olym.