Cassandre Beaugrand follows gold to sunny Spain
The Olympic gold medalist is chasing the sun and more wins under a new coach
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Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
Top Olympian and World Champion Cassandre Beaugrand is once again chasing gold. She recently made the surprise announcement that she is leaving her current coach to train under the golden skies in Girona, Spain with a new team.
The news came as a shock after her training in the past two years lead to several breakthrough performances. In 2024 she won Paris Olympic gold and was crowned World Champion WTC Series winner. The French triathlete is leaving the UK and the coach that lead her to those outstanding victories last year. She moves to warmer climes to train under Glenn Poleunis and the star-studded Plan, Train, Conquer (PTC) triathlon squad which boasts another World Champion.
The PTC is an international squad of elite athletes including big names like World Champion Martin Van Riel, and Charles Paquet. Coach Poleunis started out as a promising cyclist but was injured out. He started PTC after moving on from the Belgium national federation. His group of athletes have since amassed hardware on the Olympic and World Champion stages.
Beaugrand follows her heart
Beaugrand revealed the move on social media, siting the need for more sun. “It’s never easy to change something when it’s working so well, but I’ve always followed my heart and owned my choices,” she wrote. “After the Olympics, I decided I needed some sun again and left the Uk.”
Her stellar year of racing was guided by coach Gavin Smith and the Loughborough University Performance Lab. Beaugrand previously credited the training environment in England with preparing her for Olympic race day conditions. Those included training in the rain and adapting to various heat acclimation protocols.
Reflecting on the past two years
“The past two years have taught me so much about myself, both as an athlete and as a human,” she continued. “I’ve met so many amazing people, which made this decision even harder. It’s been tough at times, but I will always cherish the experience I’ve had.”
Beaugrand went on to thank her previous coach and the people who supported her through to her Olympic and World Championship glory. As the WTC series launches in February, her fans won’t have to wait long to find out if the move was a winning choice.