Comeback of Gwen Jorgensen - the "best triathlete in history" - has begun. 3rd in N. Zealand. What does this mean for Paris?

I am not sure how she ranks in the pantheon of triathletes in history either but an Olympic Gold already clues me in on her possessing degree of greatness.

She was very dominant when she was competing, but hardly the best ever. Her 3rd place was respectable for being away for so long and for the relatively short time she had trained for it. The level of competition was not great, but she wouldn't have been able to secure an entry into a higher level race because of her absence. Gwen has ZERO chance of getting an individual medal. The top triathletes nowadays are more complete than she was and the top two US triathletes, the Taylors, would absolutely dust her. However, the 3rd spot is legitimately in question and Gwen could help a relay team in the right circumstances if she returns to decent run form.

Flora Duffy is a much more complete triathlete (top tier swim, bike, and run) than Gwen ever was and overall has a much more valid claim for greatest ever: Olympic Gold, 6 overall ITU world championships, 6 Xterra world championships, 2 Commonwealth golds. If she ever focuses on 70.3 or Ironman, she'd very likely dominate there as well...

The previous poster summed it up pretty well. She was dominant during her peak, but not “the best ever”. The sport has moved on in her absence. There is no way she wins another individual medal. Just making the team would be a huge accomplishment.

How many ex-Bowerman babes will make the US Olympic triathalon team? 2?

Well that may be as I admit I don’t know much about this but I do know that Gwen will be 38 in April 2024 so for her to be compared even to herself at age 30 winning Gold in 2016 may be asking a bit much. So perhaps winning a Gold would still be possible if she were to be 30 next year instead of 38.

Will she be able to beat Colleen Quigley?

I don't know anything about this specific race, but any type of international competition is usually tier 1. You don't fly to the further point in the world to run a low-level race. The triathlon, like all sports at the top level, is difficult to walk away for several years and come back. And, in still emerging sport like the triathlon, the competition will have gotten tougher while you have digressed. I recalled discussions several years ago about Jenny Simpson getting back into the steeple, she never did because I suspect she knew that even if she could get back to her PR, the sport had advanced well beyond that. With all of that said, Gwen was dominate when she left and never lost running fitness, which says to me she can still compete at the highest level, but there are about 2 to 3 women who have taken the sport to a level I don't think Gwen can reach at her age.

LRC knowledge of "the triathlon" always amusing.

Best triathlete in history is a stretch, certainly up there though. She will struggle with todays competition, Duffy etc.

She is not the best triathlete in history. As said above, Flora Duffy is a more relevant choice even if we limit the choice to the triathletes in activity.

Oceania cup is like a third division triathlon. Far from WTS.

For the moment it doesn't mean anything. Let her compete in World Cup events and then WTS if she can, and then we will discuss whats is possible.

Yes, you clearly don't know anything about triathlon competition levels. The race Gwen did is far from "Tier 1". You can equate the top level triathlon series, WTS, to Diamond League. In that it brings out the absolute top athletes. What she raced is like is 2 or 3 levels below that. Perhaps equivalent to a state USATF championship race in terms of quality of athletes...

All of the top women were racing the World Triathlon Championship series, where the first race was in Abu Dhabi on March 3. Gwen is racing in these less competitive races, which is a good way to get racing experience and to get points for the World Triathlon ranking... she's currently only ranked 354th (was beaten by women ranked 48 and 41). Her next race is another short course World Cup race in New Zealand at the end of March. But, seems to me she has left it too late, you don't really expect anyone not currently doing the Championship series this year to be a factor for the Olympics next year.

I don't see her making the team at all and if she does, zero hope of a medal. Her swimming background is still such a huge benefit for draft legal races and with her run speed I wouldn't say her comeback is completely hopeless, but it really is essentially just a long shot to try and make it to the Olympics but with no hope of a medal. Kind of a weird goal for someone who has won Olympic gold, but I suppose she sees it as a better option than getting a 9-5 desk job. I suppose maybe it's also a little "Rage, rage against the dying of the light".

I can say that ESPN writers produce better headlines than LRC writers.

Hmmm, she did it for the points. Although, she could have tried for similar points in the Americas race (Sarasota this weekend), but I guess she won the next race she's doing in New Zealand years ago so liked the idea of it as part of her come back. I think it's also likely she looked at the start list and liked her odds better in NZ.

Olympic Qualification Process is here: https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Triathlon/News/Articles-and-Releases/2021/May/10/This-is-How-US-Triathletes-Qualify-for-the-Tokyo-Olympics
All relay athletes must race the individual olympic race. So out of a maximum of 6 athletes (we only sent 5 to Tokyo, 3 women, 2 men), the coaches select 2 men and 2 women for the relay. The US got silver at Tokyo during the relay and we have a lot of work to do to catch up to GB (gold) not to mention France (bronze) will get a boost racing in front of the home crowd in Paris.

As for Gwen's performance, I really can't say. NZ seemed like a rust buster and if you really wanted to see how she compares, I'd keep an eye the Gwen's results after she races a World Championship Series (WCS) race. The competition there will be the people she will have to compete against to qualify for the Olympics and have to race against at the Olympics.

I'm rooting for her and will update as the Championship Series progresses.

Her hope of a medal would be in the relay race. If she made the team, the US has a pretty decent shot at a medal in that.

People care less about triathlon than running as a sport. Basically a buy-in medal for rich yuppies

Why would triathlon be so much different 7 years later? Whatever technology is so much different - she gets to use just like everyone else.