Beth Potter says she has felt much less strain this yr as she seeks to clinch a second world triathlon title on Sunday.
The British Olympic bronze medallist is joint chief with defending champion Cassandre Beaugrand of France earlier than the ultimate occasion in Australia.
Potter admitted the build-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics and occasion itself took its toll.
“I used to be getting in as one of many favourites to win Olympic gold and there was plenty of strain and expectation on that at some point,” stated the Scottish triathlete, 33.
“It was actually onerous and I felt like I might by no means actually get into my groove final yr.
“I struggled once I bought off the bike to really feel like myself working and it was actually irritating as there was no purpose for it, as a result of it wasn’t like that in coaching.
“It simply exhibits how a lot strain I placed on myself that yr to come back away with a medal. I do not suppose I’ve ever dug as deep as I did in that Olympic race to get that medal and it meant a lot to me to simply get the bronze.”
She received the World Triathlon Championship Sequence from Beaugrand in 2023 earlier than roles have been reversed final yr.
Potter has tried a brand new teaching set-up this yr and spent almost a month at altitude within the Swiss alpine resort of St Moritz.
“I simply by no means discovered any a part of my working simple final yr and that was the one factor I all the time relied on to get myself out of hassle in races. It took me longer than I believed to get well off the again of that Olympic race,” she stated.
“Even simply to get pleasure from doing triathlons once more, it took me an excellent few months of low season and getting again into the brand new season to truly suppose I wished to be on the beginning line and race, and revel in it. That was fairly onerous for me because it’s my job, my livelihood.
“It is taken me a little bit of time initially of the yr to familiarize yourself with some new coaching and a part of it was mentally getting over the toll final yr took on my thoughts and physique. I am actually having fun with the brand new coaching strategies and attempting one thing somewhat completely different. It is the lowest danger yr to strive one thing.”
Potter is tied with Olympic champion Beaugrand on 2,925 factors however insists Sunday’s finale in Wollangong is “not a two-horse-race.
There’s a hole of greater than 200 factors to the chasing pack led by Jeanne Lehair, forward of Lisa Tertsch and Leonie Periault, with 1,250 factors on supply to the winner in Australia.
The Scot can be cheered on by a number of members of the family – together with two aunts who stay close by – as she takes on the 1.5km swim, 40km bike trip and 10km run.
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