How to become a World Champion – and what’s next for triathlon’s latest superstar

Newly crowned IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Jelle Geens has announced his lofty goals for the 2025 season, with the defence of the crown he won in New Zealand in December high on his agenda.

The Belgian star overtook New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde with just four kilometers remaining on the run in Taupo, denying the home-country hero the world title with an impressive 1:07:34 half marathon split.

Following his crowning as champion of the world over the middle-distance, he appeared on The Triathlon Hour podcast hosted by Jack Kelly. He reviewed his brilliant performance in New Zealand, discussed his late-season successes and confirmed his plans for 2025.

The 31-year-old enjoyed an incredible end to the 2024 season on the middle-distance trail earning a quartet of podiums. Third-place at IRONMAN 70.3 Tallinn was coupled with a runner-up finish at IRONMAN 70.3 Zell am See and. Geens ended the year with a pair of victories at T100 Las Vegas and the 70.3 World Championships.

Geens’ review of IRONMAN 70.3 crown

Unranked in the PTO World Rankings in 2023, Geens jettisoned up the standings – finishing #14 at the end of the year.

However, it was his success in Taupo that grabbed the headlines. He detailed the ins and outs of becoming a world champion on the Triathlon Hour Podcast.

“The start of the swim wasn’t super good, I got a bit punched around and I didn’t really have the speed. However, after the first buoy I could really move up and pass a lot of people,” Geens explained.

The Belgian exited the water just inside the top 10, and he was pleased to be in and around his rivals.

“It turned out we were all quite close together off the swim – and that was my ideal scenario for coming out of the water.

“Jumping on the bike I was just outside of the draft zone of Leo (Bergere). The start of the bike was so much easier that in Las Vegas (T100). It was quite chill, but I didn’t feel quite comfortable enough, or confident enough, to lead myself.

“Eventually, after 7-8km, the big bikers came over and you could feel the pace really increase. It was quite hard at that point for maybe 10-15km – but I felt early on we were going to stay together. No one was strong enough to really ride away and there was no one struggling too much to drop. “

2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Jelle Geens (Photo – Getty Images for IRONMAN).

“With 10km to go I saw the referee getting a card ready (for a penalty) and I wondered who it was for. I thought everyone was fair, then they gave the card to Mathis (Margirier). I was so surprised, I don’t think that was justified in my opinion.

“That meant he went off and attacked with Hayden following him. I was sitting a bit too far back to follow them and was thinking we still have the run, I don’t want to blow up. So that’s why Hayden had a gap coming into T2.”

Wilde chasing

Geens exited the water 15 seconds down from Wilde. The New Zealander then opened up a gap that the Belgian thought was perhaps unassailable:

“On the run, I set off quite fast, I wanted to close the gap to the lead sooner rather than later. However, Hayden was too fast, I couldn’t close the 15-second gap.

“The first 2km was run in just over six minutes – 6:02 maybe – and I thought I need to slow this down.

“It is not so easy to do when you feel good – I settled into 3:10 per km pace. That was the pace I could hold for the 21km. When we came to the finish line with one lap to go I looked at Hayden and he was in control 50 seconds or so ahead.

“At that point I thought it was going to be second spot for me.

“I kept the pressure on and eventually the gap came down. Someone I didn’t know chanting in Dutch said “27 seconds” and I was like wow, that went fast.

“I could see him, and he couldn’t do much when I passed him. I was still running the pace I knew I could with a little bit left for a surge at the end if I needed to.

Repeat in 2025

Following an unforgettable end to the 2024 season, the Belgian star has set lofty goals for the upcoming campaign.

Jelle Geens won on his T100 debut [Photo credit: PTO]

“Three things are in mind. IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, T100 Series and a full IRONMAN are on my bucket list to do in 2025.

“I’m still finalising my calendar. It’s not easy to implement an IRONMAN next year because the season is very long. For sure I’d really like to go to 70.3 World Championship and defend my title. It would be ideal to be at full strength, not like being sore from another race the week before or whatever.

“I think that requires a lot of planning and really nailing the races you want to do. I hope I can tick all those three for my list next year.”