Gustav Iden sets sights on Paris Olympics after overcoming mum’s death
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Gustav Iden of Norway is in Singapore for this weekend’s inaugural Professional Triathletes Organisation.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
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SINGAPORE – Ironman world champion Gustav Iden felt the lowest of lows when he lost his mum to cancer back in May. The bereavement affected him greatly but, after taking some time off, he has returned to training and is hoping to get his season back on track as he eyes Olympic qualification for Paris 2024.
The Norwegian, 27, is in Singapore for this weekend’s inaugural Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) Asian Open, which comprises a 2km swim, 80km bike race and 18km run around the Marina Bay area. Also featuring are other top triathletes such as men’s Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt and PTO’s top-ranked woman Ashleigh Gentle.
Since winning the 2022 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, last October in 7hr 40min 24sec – the fastest time since the competition’s inception in 1978 – Iden has been eyeing a spot at the Paris Games.
“I have been going back to the short course to get to the Olympics and try to get the gold there in Paris but things have not gone too smoothly, both in sport and my personal life,” he said at a pre-race press conference at Marina Bay Sands on Friday.
Iden’s mum was diagnosed with cancer in 2021, and ultimately lost the battle against the disease. He said: “I thought that she would have lived a long and good life, but things rapidly declined. In May, she passed away very quickly.
“It was very emotional and it was hard to find joy in training after that, but it’s starting to come back slowly now.”
Since winning the 2022 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, Iden has been eyeing a spot for the Paris Games.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Adding that he knows that he is unlikely to win in Singapore, Iden just hopes to “surprise myself a little bit on race day and maybe perform better than I think I can”.
“Now I have the luxury of not thinking about winning, and I will just try to be happy with my performance, although when you have won before, it’s hard to be satisfied with not winning,” he added.
The PTO Tour began in 2022, with the Canadian Open in Alberta, the Collins Cup in Slovakia and the US Open in Texas. In 2023, the tour started with the European Open in Ibiza in May before the US Open in Wisconsin earlier in August.
PTO’s top-ranked female triathlete Gentle is hoping to be third-time lucky after finishing second in both Ibiza and Wisconsin in 2023.
“I’ve done a good job at coming second this year, so it would definitely be nice to take the top step again,” said the 32-year-old, who won two events in 2022.
“But it’s going to be very difficult with the women here who are motivated to also do the same.
“I definitely feel like my fitness and strength are a lot better than last year. I just haven’t been able to get there in time to take the win at a PTO race this year.”
(From left) PTO Men’s world number three Sam Long, women’s world number one Ashleigh Gentle, women’s world number four Lucy Charles-Barclay, and Gustav Iden of Norway.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The Australian had competed in Singapore before, with her last race here being the Super League Triathlon series in 2019, and will be hoping that her experience in the heat and humidity will stand her in good stead against PTO’s world No. 4 Lucy Charles-Barclay and European Open winner Anne Haug.
It is Charles-Barclay’s first time in Singapore and the Briton cited the heat as a key factor in the race as she is used to competing in the cold back home.
The Pro Women’s triathlon takes place on Saturday, with the Pro Men’s event on Sunday.
There is also the experienced amateur event on Sunday morning, which will see 2016 Olympic champion Joseph Schooling participating as part of a relay team with other Singaporean athletes.
