{"id":14498,"date":"2022-05-17T13:28:12","date_gmt":"2022-05-17T11:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.220triathlon.com\/?p=101433"},"modified":"2022-05-17T13:35:13","modified_gmt":"2022-05-17T11:35:13","slug":"kat-matthews-background-career-history-quotes","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/rss_feed\/kat-matthews-background-career-history-quotes\/","title":{"rendered":"Kat Matthews: Background, career history, quotes"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Rob Slade\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 17 May 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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When Kat Matthews (n\u00e9e Rye) lined up for the Ironman World Championship in St George, she did so as an athlete tipped for great things.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yet, the British athlete only turned pro in 2019 and took up triathlon just seven years ago. So what led Kat Matthews to this moment? We take a look\u2026<\/p>\n

Who is Kat Matthews?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Despite having a sporty background (including lots of hockey, basketball, tennis, cross-country running and swimming with the local club \u201cjust for fun\u201d), Kat Matthews only took up triathlon in 2015.<\/p>\n

At the time Matthews was working as a physiotherapist officer in the British Army at Headley Court, helping injured servicemen and women with their rehabilitation. While there, she made use of the swimming pool and, due to a few injuries, turned her hand to cycling.<\/p>\n

She gave triathlon a go and the rest, as they say, was history. The Army spotted her talent and nurtured it. A lot of age-group racing followed, first over shorter distances. But then Matthews \u201cfell into\u201d middle-distance racing after entering Ironman 70.3 Calgary on a whim with friends while working in Canada, which she won.<\/p>\n

Wins followed at the English Middle Distance Championship in 2018 and the age-group race at Challenge Gran Canaria in 2019. Motivated by the chance to test herself against the very best, at this point Matthews turned pro.<\/p>\n

A series of podiums followed in 70.3 races, before a full-distance debut at Ironman Western Australia, where she finished fourth. Matthews was clearly demonstrating her promise and was rewarded by an invite to join the BMC Pro Triathlon Team, who she still races for now.<\/p>\n

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Katrina Matthews takes the win at Outlaw X in 2020<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Like all of us, racing in 2020 was hit by the pandemic, but Matthews still managed a win at Outlaw X<\/a><\/strong>, Ironman 70.3 Tallinn and at her second full-distance race, Ironman Florida.<\/p>\n

By this point, Matthews\u2019 trajectory was very much shooting skyward, and 2021 saw her finish first at Ironman UK, win her heat at the inaugural Collins Cup and finish fourth at the Ironman 70.3 World Champs<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And that brings us to 2022, when that rise in form and reputation continued to skyrocket. A win (and sizeable gap over second-placed Daniela Ryf) at Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote caused many to sit up and take note, if they weren\u2019t already.<\/p>\n

Of course, that was followed up with arguably Matthews\u2019 biggest performance so far, coming in second at the 2021 Ironman World Championship<\/a><\/strong> in St George behind now five-time champion Ryf and ahead of former champion Anne Haug.<\/p>\n

Technically, Matthews is still with the Army as a physiotherapist officer, but the reality is that her \u201cjob role is now to be the best I can be at triathlon\u201d. Her affiliation with the Army continues, but luckily for us spectators, her sole focus is on multisport.<\/p>\n

How old is Kat Matthews?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Kat Matthews was born on 13 March 1991, making her 31 years old.<\/p>\n

Kat Matthews career highlights<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Kat Matthews celebrates as she wins the women\u2019s race at Ironman UK in 2021 (Credit: Nigel Roddis\/Getty Images for Ironman)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

July 2018: A happy debut at middle-distance<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While on an exercise in Canada with the Army for four months, Matthews decides to try out a middle-distance race with some friends. It ends up going very well, and she walks away with a win at all-age-group Ironman 70.3 Calgary.<\/p>\n

November 2020: Wins full-distance debut in Florida<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Brit shows a sign of things to come as she outclasses the rest of the field \u2013 including USA\u2019s Skye Moench and fellow Brit Ruth Astle \u2013 to claim her maiden full-distance win on her debut at that distance. Along the way she sets the third-fastest bike split, a new course record and cranks out a sub-three-hour marathon.<\/p>\n

June 2021: Takes victory on home soil<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In an second season blighted by the pandemic, Matthews takes the win at Ironman UK, claiming fastest splits in each discipline and finishing 22mins ahead of the closest challenger, fellow Brit Nikki Bartlett.<\/p>\n

August 2021: Shows class at Collins Cup<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Kat Matthews approaches the finish line at the Collins Cup in 2021 (Credit: PTO)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

After years of talk, the inaugural Collins Cup finally arrived. Matthews forms part of Team Europe and wins her match against Jocelyn McCauley<\/a><\/strong> (USA) and Carrie Lester (AUS). A winning margin of 5:42 ensures she claims 5.5 points out of an available six, helping Team Europe on their way to victory.<\/p>\n

September 2021: Takes part in a British assault in St George<\/strong><\/h3>\n

After a last-minute decision to race the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in St George (following the postponement of Kona), Matthews is one of five British women to make the top 10<\/a><\/strong>, achieving fourth despite a niggling run injury.<\/p>\n

Britain\u2019s Lucy Charles-Barclay takes the win, with Jeanni Metzler (ZAF) and Taylor Knibb (USA) completing the podium, but there are some notable names behind Matthews, including Daniela Ryf (SUI), Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR), Skye Moench and Jackie Hering (USA).<\/p>\n

March 2022: An accomplished display in Lanzarote<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Matthews executes a fantastic race at Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote, recording the fastest bike split of the day (2:27:55) on her way to the top of the podium. In doing so, she bests then four-time Ironman word champion Ryf, prompting many to tip her for a top performance in St George two months later.<\/p>\n

May 2022: Secures an incredible second-place at Ironman World Champs<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Kat Matthews gets in the zone during the 2021 Ironman World Championship in St George (Credit: Sean M. Haffey\/Getty Images for Ironman)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Lining up as a favourite for the podium, Matthews lives up to the hype with a fine race to finish second at the Ironman World Champs<\/a><\/strong>, roughly nine minutes down on Ryf. The latter dominated for much of the race, but the Brit demonstrated spades of grit and determination to get through a hilly course and maintain a solid pace on the run to keep German powerhouse Anne Haug behind her.<\/p>\n

Kat Matthews in quotes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On winning Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote, Matthews wrote<\/a><\/strong>: \u201cThat moment when you truly embrace the reward for every moment of toil it took. A friend: \u2018You don\u2019t get to beat a reigning World Champion every day!\u2019 Thank you all so much for your support. Totally overwhelmed with everyone\u2019s messages!\u201d<\/p>\n

On trying to go under eight hours for a full-distance triathlon<\/a><\/strong>: \u201cI still think I can beat Nicola, mainly because I think my pacing team is much better. No part of me feels this pressure of, \u2018I\u2019ve said I can do it, oh my goodness\u2019. I know I can go sub-eight and I know I can give Nicola a really good race.\u201d<\/p>\n

On coming second at the 2021 Ironman World Championship in St George, she wrote<\/a><\/strong>: \u201cWhat an adventure that race was! I smiled at one point (the only time I think) whilst I had a moment of realisation that I was racing at the front of the Ironman World Championship with Daniela on the bike and we were pulling away.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was incredible (then I got dropped bad)\u2026 but one day. I aspire to be better! We bring each other up in this sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for Kat Matthews?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Following her second-place finish in St George, Matthews\u2019 attention will now turn to her Sub8 attempt (Credit: James Mitchell)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The next task on her list is the small matter of the Sub8 attempt at the start of June. Matthews replaced fellow Brit Lucy Charles-Barclay<\/a><\/strong> for the project following the latter\u2019s hip injury and will now compete with Nicola Spirig as both attempt to complete a long-distance triathlon in under eight hours.<\/p>\n

And she\u2019s sure to be going into the event with plenty of confidence following the result in St George<\/a><\/strong>. Weeks before the Ironman World Champs, she told 220<\/em><\/a><\/strong>,<\/em> \u201cI know I can go sub-eight.\u201d<\/p>\n

World record attempt aside, Matthews has also expressed an interest in the new PTO Tour and will understandably also have one eye on the October\u2019s 2022 Ironman World Championship in Kona.<\/p>\n