Recently, we took a look at some of the leading U23 athletes that aged up at the turn of the year. Today, we are turning our attention to those that could replace the rising U23 stars by surveying some of the standout female athletes that have now left the Junior ranks.
When compiling this list, two key elements came into consideration. In general, we have placed a greater emphasis on championship racing and Senior racing when assessing the athletes to watch. Performances at Junior Cups are an important marker at the Junior level, however the focus here is on athletes that can be projected to make more of an immediate impact at U23 and Senior level.
To that end, championship and Senior racing offer a slightly better indicator that an athlete may enjoy earlier success once out of the Junior ranks. For that reason, some athletes with multiple European Junior Cup medals have not been mentioned here even though they have the talent to be included.
Tilda Månsson (SWE)
Perhaps the best place to start is the Female Junior Triathlete of 2023. Although Månsson did not race in the Junior ranks last season – having claimed the World Junior and European Junior titles in 2022, she had out-grown the level – she nonetheless had a claim to being the pick of her cohort.
If Senior results are the vital metric, Månsson is a near-certainty to make a big impact in 2024. Last year, she won the World Cup in Tiszaujvaros, adding a second career gold to her win in Bergen in 2022. A possible third World Cup win could well be on the cards this year. Having broken the Swedish Junior record over 5000m last season, her running speed is such that she will almost always be a threat, particularly over the Sprint distance.
Moreover, Månsson won a medal at the Tangier World Cup towards the end of last year.
In all likelihood, Månsson’s ambitions have probably moved beyond even the U23 level already. Possible Olympic qualification and improving her best WTCS finish will shape her short-term goals, as will accruing further World Cup medals. When all is said and done, there are few U23 athletes, let alone recent Juniors, that are primed to make as much of an impact as Månsson.
Ilona Hadhoum (FRA)
Hadhoum took the more conventional Junior route in 2023 and she did so in style. She ended the season as the World Junior and European Junior champion after powering to commanding victories at both.
In reality, neither victory should have been a great surprise. At the season opening French Junior tests, she produced the best performances on French record. In addition, Hadhoum had already won European Junior silver in 2022.
The French Junior champion thus completed Junior racing last year. As yet, she does not have any results on the international level. However, there is an important point to note.
Hadhoum’s form for Poissy Triathlon in the French Grand Prix last year was superb. She won the bronze medal at the Bordeaux event in an outstanding performance. With two other finishes of 7th and 9th, she proved that she is more than capable of mixing it at the Senior level, particularly over the Sprint distance.
Armed with a swim strong enough to put her in lead packs and the running speed to cause a stir, all the signs are Hadhoum will be just fine in U23 and Senior racing this year. If she is able to crack the Olympic distance quickly, it would would be no surprise to see her at the top of the World U23 Championships podium in Malaga when October rolls around.
Manami Hayashi (JPN)
The Asian Junior champion was set up to have a great race at the World Junior Championships however a bike crash ruined her day. While her World Junior tilt did not go to plan, Hayashi showed more than enough in 2023 to indicate she could rapidly become a force at the Senior level.
At the tail end of the year, she finished 7th at the Asian Championships over the Sprint distance. That came after a run of consistent form on the Continental level. Finishes of 4th at the Asia Cup in Osaka, 6th at the Asia Cup in Subic Bay and 8th at the Hong Kong Asia Cup showed that she was already equipped to rub shoulders with some of Asia’s best triathletes.
While it would be fair to say that it is only a matter of time before she wins a medal at the Senior level, the point is moot. Hayashi won a medal bronze at the Asia Cup in Ipoh in 2022.
Towards the end of 2023, the Japanese Junior and U23 champion made her World Cup debut in Tongyeong. She finished 40th. A week later, she was back on the World Cup circuit and finished 30th in Miyazaki. Most notably, Miyazaki was over the Olympic distance, indicating that the step up in distance is not a major problem for Hayashi.
Having impressed on all regional levels in 2023, whether national, Junior, Continental Cups or Continental Championships, the World Cup circuit and World U23 Championships will likely form Hayashi’s primary targets in 2024. She will need to be watched closely for she might just be Asia’s most exciting female triathlete of the decade.
Adelaide Anna Badini Confalonieri (ITA)
Like Hadhoum and Hayashi, Badini became her country’s national champion in 2023 as she claimed gold at the Italian Junior Championships.
With the national title under her belt, she went on to make a splash at the Senior level. She won a silver medal at the African Cup in Monastir, putting her in the select club of Junior athletes to have won a medal at the Senior level. Moreover, she finished 7th at the African Cup in Berges du Lac and 14th at the European Cup in Alanya.
One point to raise is that the two African Cups did not have the biggest fields. Equally, Badini showed impressive initiative to hunt for such Senior racing opportunities rather than remain in the relative safety of the Junior realm. Alanya also hosted a very large field and she was by no means out of place.
On a separate note, Badini also won a European Junior Cup in Zagreb last season. Her Senior results separate her from her fellow European Junior Cup winners.
When it came to championship racing in 2023, Badini’s results did not quite match her Senior outings. She did not make the Italian team for World Junior Championships and finished 8th at the European Junior Championships. On balance, though, her Senior results offer enough encouragement that she could go on to earn more international medals this season.
Rhianna Hepburn (AUS)
For our final athlete, there are two athletes with near-identical profiles that could have completed our list.
Rhianna Hepburn won the silver medal at the Oceania Junior Championships after winning the event in 2022. She went on to finish 9th at the World Junior Championships Hamburg and also claimed a noteworthy 5th place at the Oceania Cup in Busselton. Across the board, Hepburn had an impressive year and leaves the Junior ranks as one of the names to watch from Oceania.
At the same time, her results are remarkably similar to those of Beth Cook (GBR). Cook also won Continental silver in 2023 (finishing 2nd at the European Junior Championships). Furthermore she placed 9th at World Junior Championships in 2022. Last year Cook also added an 8th place at the Americas Cup in St. Peters, demonstrating success at the Senior level.
One argument that could be made is that St. Peters had a deeper field than Busselton – for example, Gwen Jorgensen and Katie Zaferes raced – and it was over the Sprint distance whereas Busselton was a Super Sprint distance event. Equally, Hepburn’s more recent 9th place at the World Junior level could nudge her ahead.
With comparable success at their respective Continental Junior Championships, similar Senior success and an identical best result at the World Junior Championships, it came down to one point to split the two athletes.
The tie-breaker was that Hepburn won the European Junior Cup in Holten last summer. Her win in Holten saw her uncork a near-flawless performance as part of a breakaway in which she showed her class across all three disciplines.
Looking ahead to this season, Hepburn will likely look to accrue further experience at the Oceania Cup level before pushing for a spot on the Australian team at the World U23 Championships.
