Lucy Charles-Barclay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lucy Anne Charles-Barclay

Lucy Charles-Barclay at the 2017 Ironman European Championship in Frankfurt
Personal information
Born	(1993-09-15) 15 September 1993 (age 31) Hoddesdon, England
Agent	BPM Sport
Height	170cm
Weight	58kg
Sport
Country	UK
Coached by	Reece Barclay
Now coaching	Pulse Fitness Triathlon
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Ironman: 8:24:31 (2023)
Medal record Women's triathlon Representing  Great Britain Ironman World Championship Gold 2023 Individual Silver 2022 Individual Silver 2019 Individual Silver 2018 Individual Silver 2017 Individual Ironman 70.3 World Championship Gold 2021 Individual Silver 2018 Individual World Triathlon Long Distance Championships Gold 2022 Individual

Lucy Charles-Barclay (born 15 September 1993) is a professional triathlete from England. She is known for competing in Ironman and 70.3 races. An Ironman race is a very long triathlon. It includes a 3.86 km swim, a 180.25 km bike ride, and a 42.2 km run. A 70.3 race is about half that distance.

Lucy is the 2023 World Ironman Champion. She also won the 2021 World Championship in the 70.3 distance. In 2022, she won the World Triathlon Long Distance Championships. In 2023, she set a new record for the famous Kona Ironman course in Hawaii.

Before becoming a triathlete, Lucy was a top swimmer. She competed in long-distance and open-water swimming. She even tried to join the British Olympic team for the 2012 London Olympics. Although she was a strong swimmer, she was not selected.

Lucy started triathlon in 2014. She quickly became very good. In 2015, she won her age group at the Ironman World Championship as an amateur. After that, she became a professional athlete. Her husband, Reece Barclay, is also a professional Ironman triathlete. He is also Lucy's coach.

Early Life and Swimming

Lucy Charles-Barclay was born north of London, England. She started swimming when she was 8 years old. By the age of 9, she was already beating swimmers who were much older. She became a national champion by the time she was 16.

In 2010, at age 17, Lucy competed in her first 10-kilometer open-water swim. She finished as the top British competitor. The 2012 Summer Olympics were held in London. The 10-kilometer open-water swim was a new event there. Lucy hoped to compete.

Her main competitor for the 2012 Olympics was Keri-anne Payne. Keri-Anne had already won an Olympic silver medal. Even though Lucy was swimming very well, Britain only had one spot for the event. That spot went to Payne. Lucy was still a teenager and felt very sad about not being chosen. By 2013, she lost her motivation to only focus on swimming.

Starting Triathlon

In 2014, when Lucy was 19, she tried her first triathlon. At that time, she had no experience in competitive running or cycling. She learned quickly. In her second year, 2015, she qualified for the World Championships. She won her age group there. In the same year, she became the Under-23 World Champion in Ironman 70.3. In 2016, she officially became a professional triathlon athlete.

Triathlon Career Highlights

Lucy Charles-Barclay has had an amazing career in triathlon. She is known for her strong swimming skills.

First Professional Wins

In May 2017, Lucy won her first Ironman race in Lanzarote. She also won "The Championship" race by Challenge Family. She placed second at the Ironman European Championships. She was only 4 minutes behind the winner, Sarah Crowley. In October 2017, she finished second at the Ironman World Championship. She was behind the four-time World Champion, Daniela Ryf.

In April 2018, Lucy won her second Ironman race in South Africa. She also won "The Championship" again. In September, she came second at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. At the 2018 Ironman World Championship in October, she was second again to Daniela Ryf. She broke the swim record with a time of 48 minutes and 13 seconds. Her total race time was the second fastest ever.

In 2019, Lucy won Challenge Roth and the European Ironman Championships. She set a personal best time of 8 hours, 31 minutes, and 9 seconds. She then finished second for the third time in a row at the 2019 Ironman World Championship.

Becoming World Champion

In 2021, Lucy won the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. She finished more than 8 minutes faster than the next competitor.

In 2023, after four second-place finishes, Lucy finally became the Ironman World Champion in Kailua-Kona. This was a huge achievement for her.

Recent Races

In 2024, Lucy had two second-place finishes in the PTO T100 Triathlon series. She finished second to India Lee in Miami and to Ashleigh Gentle in Singapore. She also won Ironman France to qualify for the 2024 Ironman World Championships in Nice, France. During the London T100 race, she got injured while running and had to stop. This was her first time ever not finishing a professional race.

Lucy started her 2025 season with a third-place finish at the Singapore T100 Triathlon. Only Kate Waugh and Lisa Perterer finished ahead of her.

Lucy lives in Chingford, Essex. Her husband, Reece, continues to coach her.

Notable Results

Here are some of Lucy Charles-Barclay's most important achievements:

See also

In Spanish: Lucy Charles-Barclay para niños