Fast-forward another 11 years and he\u2019s on British Triathlon\u2019s World Class Programme with a world title to his name, studying maths and economics and training with some of the best triathletes on the planet.<\/p>\n
We caught up with him at home shortly after his return from a training camp Down Under to talk the financial balancing act of going pro, Olympic ambitions and his thoughts on the Norwegians\u2026<\/p>\n
220:<\/strong> So you\u2019ve just been in Australia for training with the British Triathlon World Class Programme. How did that go?<\/strong><\/p>\n Connor Bentley:<\/strong> Yeah, it was really good, a great environment. We were down in Queensland on the Gold Coast, a place called Burleigh Heads, and we were working with one of the Surf Lifesavers there, Phil Clayton and basically trying to learn as much as we could from him around open-water swimming.<\/p>\n It seems to have moved on all sorts, like my physiology and skills. It was just a really solid camp.<\/p>\n 220: And who was with you?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> It was pretty much the Loughborough athletes, so there was Ben [Dijkstra], Alex [Yee<\/strong><\/a>], Sophie [Coldwell<\/strong><\/a>], Liv [Mathias<\/strong><\/a>], Sophie Alden, Harry Leleu and Sophia Green [the latter two are part of the Loughborough performance programme].<\/p>\n 220: So all your buddies anyway, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> Ha, yeah! Week in week out. That\u2019s probably why it was such an easy camp environment.<\/p>\n 220: How did you first get into tri?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> It was through my parents, they took up age-group racing. My mum was a runner and after her career she just tried to stay fit so her and my dad did the age-group stuff.<\/p>\n I watched them race in the world champs in London [in 2013], and I\u2019d also watched the Olympics there the year before. I was kind of swimming and running a bit at the time, so I gave it a go and then just moved through the various ranks. Since I was 18, I set my mind on going down the professional route.<\/p>\n A few of the lads who I came to Loughborough with, we all came through the programme together, and Alex, Ben and Liv, they were the athletes we were looking up.<\/p>\n 220: What is it about the sport that you love?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> The racing\u2019s always exciting because there\u2019s so much that can go on. With tri, the races really progress in different ways. But it\u2019s not just that, I love the training. I like staying active and there\u2019s not really a better sport to do that.<\/p>\n 220: And have you finished your studies now at Loughborough?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> No, I\u2019ve got until the end of this summer. I\u2019m doing maths and economics. My dad always told me to just make sure that you\u2019ve got something to fall back on. Cause you\u2019re only one injury away from potentially not being able to carry on with a career.<\/p>\n 220: So you finish your degree this summer and then you\u2019re a full-time triathlete on the World Class Program. How does the financing work?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> Well that\u2019ll certainly help, for sure. But I\u2019m fortunate enough that I\u2019m getting in some rent now as well. The rest is generally geared around how well I\u2019m going to be racing this year.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s something that I\u2019m going to have to look into seriously. I\u2019ve been in a dream state as a student, but yeah, I\u2019ve got to be earning, I\u2019ve got to be self-sufficient.<\/p>\n 220: Do you think you\u2019re in a luckier position because there are now so many races to choose from?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> Yeah, it is useful. But the issue with some of them is that they\u2019re sometimes all bunched. Because of that, I can only pick a couple races. So when it actually comes down to it, what fits best in my training block is still only a select, few races.<\/p>\n 220: What about Super League? Have you had an invite through?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> I had one last year, but I turned that down in preference for racing the World Cups over in Asia. At the time, that was the best option to support my development as an athlete.<\/p>\n I speak to Tim [Don<\/strong><\/a>] every so often and he\u2019s been pretty supportive around the racing, so I\u2019ll keep my options open for Super Legaue.<\/p>\n 220: What have you learned from training with Alex [Yee]?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> I think the main one is that these phenomenal athletes are actually just normal people. Alex is the most down-to-earth guy I\u2019ve ever met.<\/p>\n It keeps you in a sort of reality check; he\u2019s got his medals and stuff, but at the end of the day, he\u2019s still just one of the guys who\u2019s at the training centre. But you really can\u2019t ask for a better role model.<\/p>\n 220: Let\u2019s go back to the U23 Champs \u2013 did you go into the race thinking you had a shot of gold?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> No, honestly, I went into that race just looking to get experience. I\u2019d had had a tough year, following two shin stress responses<\/strong><\/a>. All I wanted to do at that point was just get through the season, learn as much as I could and go through to the next.<\/p>\n But that said, that race, everything everything went to plan and I was able to execute a perfect race that day.<\/p>\n 220: How did it feel when you crossed that line, knowing you were world champion?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> Honestly, it didn\u2019t settle in for a few minutes, because once I crossed that line I was in so much pain. I was just relieved, it really was the confidence boost I needed.<\/p>\n 220: And you join a great line of British, U23 world champions. No pressure, but are you even considering Paris [Olympics 2024]?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> Obviously it\u2019s in there somewhere. But the thing I need to do the most \u2013 and it\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned these last few years \u2013 is just focus on my own processes. I\u2019m going to take each year as it comes.<\/p>\n The Test E<\/strong><\/a>vent<\/strong><\/a> (in August) is not on my plan. It\u2019s not suited to my development, so I\u2019m going to keep ticking off races as they come, and if the door opens, the door opens, then I\u2019m more than happy to step up!<\/p>\n 220: So what is your plan for this year?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> The first half of the season is pretty much set. So I\u2019m not going to race until mid-May just with the nature of last year\u2019s [late] season.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve highlighted what I need to move on, which is my threshold, but they\u2019re not going do that in a few months. So I\u2019ll open up with two European Cups [Connor won them both \u2013 Caorle in Italy on 13 May and Olsztyn in Poland on 27 May], but then I\u2019m going to target the European Games [Poland, 27 June-1 July].<\/p>\n Following that, I\u2019ll see if I can get my first WTS [World Triathlon Series<\/strong><\/a>] start in Sunderland [29 July].<\/p>\n I actually had the pleasure of being able to race there last year for the British Champs. The biggest shock to me was that during the swim warm-up we could see dolphins swimming out at the back of the back of the bay.<\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t believe it was still in Sunderland until I got in the water when it was cold.<\/p>\n 220: So if you could borrow any other triathletes\u2019 abilities, whose would you choose and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB: I\u2019ll pick the obvious here. So, I\u2019ll take Alex\u2019s run. It is a gift, that, and it\u2019s awesome to watch. The swim? I really like [Henri] Schoeman<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s stroke, he\u2019s got such nice technique. It\u2019d have to be between Schoeman and [Richard] Varga.<\/p>\n And the bike, I\u2019ll take Ali Brownlee<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n 220: Would you be as aggressive as Ali in a bike pack, do you think?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> I can\u2019t! I don\u2019t have the legs to back it up. That man, without doubt, every race he goes to, he gets a bike pack to work and that in itself is a skill that needs developing.<\/p>\n 220: What are your thoughts on the Norwegian men [Kristian Blummenfelt<\/a> and Gustav Iden<\/a>]? <\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> They\u2019re machines. They are just powerhouses, almost robotic. It\u2019s not just their ability, but it\u2019s physiological.<\/p>\n For Bloomie, that ability to go into the red, to really hurt himself, that\u2019s something you can\u2019t teach. You can go down the route of psychology and look into how to push past that pain barrier, but to his extent is inspiring.<\/p>\n That\u2019s what I\u2019d like to get out of myself at every race.<\/p>\n 220: What are your ultimate long-term goals in the sport?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB<\/strong>: I do want to be world champ. I\u2019ve always wanted to go to the Olympics and that\u2019s going to be at the forefront. The more I\u2019ve developed as an athlete, the more I just want to be the best. I want to be at the top of the sport.<\/p>\n Putting a race together that I can be proud of, that\u2019s where I sit.<\/p>\n 220: What do you need to do between now and then to achieve that?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> I\u2019ve just got to stay consistent. I\u2019ve got to focus on myself, stick to my processes, do as my coaching team [Rob Bridges] tell me. I\u2019ve got faith in them that they\u2019ll be able to move me on to where I want to be.<\/p>\n 220: What\u2019s your favourite training session and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> I absolutely love a long run. Unless I know for a fact that on a Friday we\u2019ve got a hard run session because I like a hard session, I can guarantee you that I\u2019m looking forward to that long run on Sunday.<\/p>\n 220: And how do you recover after such a hard session?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> I\u2019ll stick to straightaway a recovery shake. Get the protein in, get the carbs in straight away. And then I\u2019ll probably throw something together, but it depends what I\u2019ve gone to the shops for! So But it\u2019ll have to be heavy carb-based, just so I can fuel for that next session.<\/p>\n 220: What do you do to relax away from the sport?<\/strong><\/p>\n CB:<\/strong> I\u2019m a massive film watcher. I love my films. If I\u2019m trying to relax, then it\u2019ll be one that I\u2019ve probably already watched because I\u2019m going to fall asleep. Interstellar or Good Will Hunting are my two favourites.<\/p>\n And I\u2019m a massive fan of Top Gun: Maverick.<\/p>\n Name:<\/strong> Connor Bentley<\/p>\n Age:<\/strong> 22<\/p>\n Home:<\/strong> Loughborough (originally Shropshire)<\/p>\n Best results to date:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 2nd, National Sprint Champs, January 2021<\/p>\n 3rd, European U23 Sprint Champs, June 2021<\/p>\n 2nd, Europe Triathlon Cup Barcelona, October 2021<\/p>\n 1st, National Sprint Champs, August 2022\u00a0<\/p>\n 1st, World U23 Champs, November 2022<\/p>\n 1st,\u00a0Europe Triathlon Cup Olsztyn, May 2023<\/p>\n 1st,\u00a0Europe Triathlon Cup Caorle, May 2023<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Top image credit:<\/strong> Wagner Araujo (@wags.photo)\/World Triathlon<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n Connor Bentley joins a prestigious list of British men to have worn the U23 world crown. So what\u2019s next for the 22-year-old who boasts Alex Yee as a training partner? Let’s find out\u2026 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":23167,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"9"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/connor-bentley-the-u23-world-champion-on-balancing-finances-olympic-ambitions-and-training-with-alex-yee.jpg",1200,800,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/connor-bentley-the-u23-world-champion-on-balancing-finances-olympic-ambitions-and-training-with-alex-yee-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/connor-bentley-the-u23-world-champion-on-balancing-finances-olympic-ambitions-and-training-with-alex-yee-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/connor-bentley-the-u23-world-champion-on-balancing-finances-olympic-ambitions-and-training-with-alex-yee-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/connor-bentley-the-u23-world-champion-on-balancing-finances-olympic-ambitions-and-training-with-alex-yee-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/connor-bentley-the-u23-world-champion-on-balancing-finances-olympic-ambitions-and-training-with-alex-yee.jpg",1200,800,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/connor-bentley-the-u23-world-champion-on-balancing-finances-olympic-ambitions-and-training-with-alex-yee.jpg",1200,800,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Connor Bentley joins a prestigious list of British men to have worn the U23 world crown. So what\u2019s next for the 22-year-old who boasts Alex Yee as a training partner? Let's find out\u2026","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/23166"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\""Connor\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2023\/06\/connor-bentley-u23-worlds-abu-dhabi-2022-45f501e.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"connor-bentley-u23-worlds-abu-dhabi-2022\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Connor Bentley\u2019s\u2028 race highlights\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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