American Olympic medalist and world champ calls it a career in her signature, classy style
Supertri race in Toulouse will be Katie Zaferes’ final professional race
Photo by:
Kevin Mackinnon
Katie Zaferes (pictured above winning the World Triathlon Series Grand Final in 2019) has long been renowned as one of the sport’s most well-regarded professionals, so it comes as no surprise that the Tokyo Olympic silver and bronze medalist, who also won the world title in 2019, would end her career with a poignant message.
Zaferes overcame a number of challenges just to make the American team for the Tokyo Olympics. The 2019 world champion had to fight back to full fitness for the Games after taking time off when her father died unexpectedly in April, 2021. She was given a discretionary spot on the team, doing the selectors proud by earning the bronze medal in the individual race and helping the US team take the silver in the mixed relay.
After giving birth to her son, Kimble, in 2022, Zaferes made another go at the Olympics, but, in the end, wasn’t named to the American team.
“After Tokyo I felt like there was more in me as a professional athlete,” Zaferes wrote in a post on Instagram today. “After these past two years, I’ve now realized I’ve given it my all at this level in my personal endeavor and @supertri_Toulouse on Sunday will be my final race.”
“I’m finding that my heart isn’t in it like it needs to be,” Zaferes continued. “There’s a part of me that still wants to love it and wants to want it. However, the most telling part is that I’m ok with the fact that I don’t. Other things are starting to excite me more. While 11 years might seem short to some and long to others, for me it’s perfect … I’ve spent 11 life changing, fulfilling years racing and achieving so much more than I ever thought possible.”
You can read Zaferes’ entire post below:
View this post on Instagram
After running cross country and track at Syracuse University, Zaferes turned her sights to elite triathlon in 2013. She had a remarkable run of World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) racing – in 2015 she finished fifth in the overall series, then improved one spot a year until she was crowned champion in 2019 in Lausanne, Switzerland – that year she won the WTS races in Abu Dhabi, Bermuda. Yokohama, Montreal and the Grand Final in Lausanne.
Zaferes was also a two-time supertri champion, making it fitting that the supertri Toulouse race in France will be her final race.