By Nige Tassell

Published: Wednesday, 09 November 2022 at 12:00 am

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A multiple world and European champion at various formats and distances, France’s Pierre Le Corre now looks set to enjoy a sparkling career at the front of the half-iron ranks. Let’s find out more… 

Who is Pierre Le Corre?

Hailing from the Breton city of Vannes, Pierre Le Corre was an exceedingly keen swimmer as a young boy and took up triathlon after moving across the Atlantic to Philadelphia at the age of 16. Although not making much of an impression as a junior, he made a significant impact as an U23 competitor.

In 2012, he won the European U23 title, improving on that 12 months later when he became the world champion in London.

Once in the elite ranks, Le Corre made steady progress, becoming the French national champion in 2014 and notching up his first podium finish on the World Triathlon Series circuit in Auckland the following year.

A couple more WTS podiums followed but, despite his consistency across the series, it was in one-off championships where the Frenchman continued to prosper.

In Glasgow in 2018, he tasted a double helping of golden glory, becoming European champion in the men’s race and repeating the trick the next day in the mixed relay.

But the 2022 season is the one that’s seen the Breton absolutely thrive. A second world title arrived in June when the French squad became the global champions in mixed relay, before Le Corre hinted at his potential in long-course racing, taking his first Ironman 70.3 win in only his second half-iron finish.

Then came what is arguably the zenith of his career so far: taking a third world title, this time at the World Triathlon long-distance championships.

Yet to find himself off the podium in a middle-distance race, Pierre Le Corre looks like another contender in that ever-growing dash to long-course glory. His CV suggests he has the kind of pedigree that will let him fly.

How old is Pierre Le Corre?

Pierre Le Corre was born on February 3 1990, making him 32 years of age.

Pierre Le Corre’s career highlights

May 2011: First podium as an elite

At the age of 21, Le Corre takes his first top-three place with silver in the European Cup race in the Belgian town of Brasschaat, his run putting eight seconds between himself and compatriot/future double world champion Vincent Luis.

September 2012: Becomes U23 European champ

In the Spanish port of Águilas, Le Corre secures the European U23 crown after seeing off the challenges of Slovakia’s Richard Varga and Britain’s Tom Bishop.

The following month, Le Corre finishes just outside the medals in the U23 worlds in Auckland, although his fourth place confirms his promise and potential.

September 2013: Becomes U23 world champion

A year later, Le Corre upgrades that fourth to first at the U23 words in London. His win is particularly impressive, gradually shedding the rest of the 21-strong group who head out of T2 together.

September 2014: Capture of the French national title

Now too old to defend his U23 world title, Le Corre maintains his champion status by easing to victory in the French national sprint championships.

May 2015: A first top-three placing on the ITU circuit

After a couple of top 10s in the World Triathlon Series, Le Corre strides onto the podium for the first time when he takes bronze in Auckland. Only former world champ Jonny Brownlee and current world champ Javier Gómez finish ahead of the Frenchman.

July 2016: Another WTS bronze

Following a strong of top-10 finishes in WTS races, Le Corre returns to the podium in Stockholm, taking bronze behind the Brownlee boys.

June 2017: Silver at the Euros

The Frenchman heads across the border into Germany for the European sprint championships in Düsseldorf, returning with a silver in his luggage.

August 2018: Double European glory

At the European championships in Glasgow, Le Corre holds off a strong field to break the tape and seize gold. The following day, a second gold comes his way as part of the victorious French mixed relay quartet.

June 2022: A second world title

After a couple of Covid-affected seasons, during which he consolidates his reputation as one of the most consistent WTS competitors, Le Corre travels to Montreal where he and his compatriots take the mixed relay world title.

July 2022: A maiden middle-distance triumph

Having taken bronze in his first Ironman 70.3 outing in Dubai back in March, Le Corre shows his suitability for half-iron racing with victory at Les Sables D’Olonne in western France.

August 2022: The third world title is the most impressive

Le Corre’s 2022 form is arguably the strongest of his career to date. He takes silver at the European championships in Munich before travelling to Slovakia for the World Triathlon long-distance championships.

Gold is what he takes in very trying, very windy conditions in Samorin after overpowering his German rivals in dominating the run.

Pierre Le Corre in quotes

On his European championship title win in 2018: “It was really tough and I was scared of Alistair [Brownlee] because he’s a really hard opponent. Thankfully for me, he wasn’t great today.”

On becoming long-distance world champion earlier this year: “I knew I could do a good-enough race to aim for the podium and for that I had to be close to the Germans at the end of the bike. It’s a distance that suits me better than the Olympic distance because I’m quite hard on pain.”

On maintaining a fierce race schedule: “I have a lot of rivals, but I think time will always be my biggest rival.”

What’s next for Pierre Le Corre?

With his Olympic-distance results not quite hitting the heights of a few years ago – and with Ironman 70.3 wins under his belt, not to mention his capture of the world long-distance title in August – the time is definitely right for Le Corre to make the step up to exclusively racing in long-course events.

It will, of course, mean he’d have to forego his home Olympics in 2024.

Top image credit: Dan Istitene/Getty Images

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