Olympic Games Paris 2024

Taylor Knibb exclusive: The Olympic triathlon silver medalist and two-time Ironman 70.3 world champion working to improve her mental game

By Sam Peene
4 min|
Taylor Knibb, 2022 Ironman

Picture by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

An Olympic silver medal and two world titles might create the impression of an athlete who has mastered every aspect of their craft.

Contrary to that assumption, that is not always the truth.

Back-to-back reigning Ironman 70.3 world champion and Tokyo 2020 triathlon mixed relay medalist Taylor Knibb spoke candidly with Olympics.com ahead of her 2024 season-opening Ironman about the reality that she does not, in fact, have it all figured out.

Taylor Knibb: “I’m not good at shutting out the noise”

In 2023, Knibb pushed her body to its absolute limits for three hours, 53 minutes and two seconds to cross the finish line and win her second consecutive Ironman 70.3 world title.

To complete such a feat, some might think that the world-class athlete would have mastered not just the physical aspect of the race, but also the mental.

According to Knibb, the latter is something she is still working on.

“I’m not good at shutting out the noise,” she said to Olympics.com.

Taylor Knibb of USA reacts ahead of the 2023 IRONMAN Women's 70.3 World Championships on August 26, 2023 in Lahti, Finland.

Picture by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images

Knibb even studied psychology at one of the world's top universities, Cornell, to try to “fix [her] own problems.”

Despite the ongoing journey, she has many strengths that lie within her training and the ability to channel the adrenaline that comes in the days leading up to a race.

“I’m very good at staying in the moment,” she said, explaining how throughout a race, she internally repeats the mantra 'just keep moving forward.'

“I’ve had some of my best races after I’ve just wanted to stop and lay down on the ground. You just have to keep going and have faith that it’ll turn around. And if not, if it doesn’t turn around and you don’t feel better, at least you’ll be closer to it being over. It will end eventually.”

Knibb’s game-changing move to Colorado

Shortly after graduating from the New York school in 2020, Knibb moved to Boulder, Colorado, where some of the world’s leading triathletes were training.

On top of no longer having to balance an Ivy League class schedule with her training, the biggest benefit of the move, Knibb said, was the opportunity to train alongside and learn from sporting greats, including Olympic gold medalists Flora Duffy and Gwen Jorgensen.

“To be able to watch how the pros do things and [how they] conduct themselves, I feel like you can just learn so much more than anything else.”

Paula Findlay of Canada in second place, Taylor Knibb of the United States in first place, and Emma Pallant-Browne of Britain in third place celebrate on the podium after the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship on October 28, 2022 in St George, Utah.

Picture by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

She tuned into their energy as well as their training and was able to demystify the fact that, contrary to her perception of them, they are just “regular humans.”

Jorgensen, specifically, she said, “is so calm.” Something she hopes to translate into her own mental game.

Taylor Knibb: From Tokyo to Paris

As the youngest American triathlete to ever compete in the Olympic Games, Knibb found herself standing on the Tokyo 2020 podium with a silver medal around her neck. The United States had ended the race in 1 hour, 23 minutes and 55 seconds - just 14 seconds behind Team Great Britain in the inaugural triathlon mixed relay event.

But, the Games weren’t a complete success story for the then 23-year-old, as she recalls the individual competition being the worst race of her season.

She crossed the finish line in 16th place.

“It didn’t feel very good for me,” she said, but after a time of reflection, she now looks at the silver lining of how the events transpired.

Morgan Pearson, Katie Zaferes, Taylor Knibb and Kevin McDowell of Team United States pose with their silver medals following the Mixed Relay Triathlon on day eight of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 31, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Picture by Leon Neal/Getty Images

“For my first Olympics, it’s probably the best experience you can have because it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. It’s not all perfect.

“It was very humbling”

Knibb returned to Colorado and proceeded to become the back-to-back Ironman 70.3 world champion in 2022 and 2023**.**

Now, she has her eyes on taking gold at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and making the race on 31 July the best day of her life.

“Could [Paris] be the best thing that’s ever happened to me? Yeah.

“But I still have some work to (do to) make it the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Knibb will open her 2024 season with the Ironman 70.3 in Oceanside, California on 6 April and race her first short-course race at the World Triathlon Series in Yokohama, Japan.

As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

Related content