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Charles-Barclay’s comeback now includes Kona

After missing much of the 2022 season due to injury, three-time runner up goes after elusive title

Photo by: PTO

Three-time Kona runner up and defending Ironman 70.3 world champion Lucy Charles-Barclay will be racing at the upcoming Ironman World Championship in Kona in a two weeks. After sustaining a stress fracture in her hip earlier this year that forced her out of the Ironman World Championship in St. George, Charles-Barclay made a dramatic comeback to racing with a big win at the World Triathlon Long Distance Championships in August. Last weekend she took third at the PTO US Open in Dallas.

Related: Lucy Charles-Barclay out with a stress fracture

Charles-Barclay kept her Kona intentions to herself, though, which led most to believe she was passing on the full-distance worlds in Hawaii and would look to try and defend her title in St. George. Based on her recent social media posts, though, it turns out she will be gunning after the win in Kona.

 

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A post shared by Lucy Charles-Barclay (@lucycharles93)

In a Zwift “Road to Kona” video Charles-Barclay outlines her goals for the race in Kona and describes some of her pre-race preparation at Club La Santa in Lanzarote. In the video we learn that initially Charles-Barclay had felt she wouldn’t be able to compete in Kona because of the injury.

Adding Charles-Barclay to the mix for the women’s race in Kona provides even more depth to a stacked field that sees Daniela Ryf return as the favourite after her big win in St. George earlier this year. Stay tuned for our Ironman World Championship women’s preview later today.