Yuko Takahashi enjoyed her first “home” race of the season.
In Quarteira, Portugal, she earned a 5th place over the first Olympic distance European Cup of the year. As a member of The Triathlon Squad, Takahashi is based less than an hour away in Monte Gordo.
With no major travel involved, “it almost felt like a home race,” said Takahashi. There was neither a time change to navigate nor stress with flights. Instead it was a short trip along the coast.
Perhaps in part due to the more relaxed circumstances around the race, Takahashi felt much better than her first race of the season at WTCS Abu Dhabi.
“I felt quite bad at the race and wasn’t sure why,” she said of Abu Dhabi. “I had been training pretty well before the race so it was a bit strange.”
Neither Takahashi nor her coach Paulo Sousa panicked, though.
“We didn’t change anything after Abu Dhabi,” she explained. Instead she trusted the process and that the work she had done would come around.
Her confidence proved well-founded in Quarteira.
She was joint-third out of the water and made the front pack on the bike. On each lap, she took up the lead of the pack and then brought her race home with a strong run.
After her Portuguese outing, another home race awaits.
WTCS Yokohama has been the site of one of Takahashi’s best results. In 2019, she finished a brilliant 4th place. More importantly, it is an opportunity to race in front of the support of Japanese fans.
“It is always special to race at home in front of family and friends. The atmosphere helps a lot.”
This year, Yokohama will have an additional importance.
Later in 2023, the 19th edition of the Asian Games will take place in Hangzhou. The Games are often considered the second largest multi-sport competition in the world after the Summer Olympics and success there can confer immense prestige.
Takahashi will need to finish in the top-16 in Yokohama to qualify for the event. Should no Japanese woman accomplish that, then the two available female slots will be allocated on a discretionary basis.
As the defending Asian Games champion from 2018, Takahashi will no doubt be a favourite to secure her ticket and then defend her title.
Such is the nature of the season, Takahashi and her coach have planned a greater emphasis on the back end of the year.
The late WTCS Final in November created an off-season dilemma. Although Takahashi noted, “I have never raced so late in the year”, she nonetheless finished 15th. Thereafter, the quick turnaround to WTCS Abu Dhabi in March may have contributed to her slightly underwhelming display.
“We had a good break after the Final and then got back into training, taking it step by step.”
With a lot of races looming late in the summer and in the autumn, Takahashi did not need to rush back into shape. Alongside the Asian Games, Takahashi will be looking to accrue Olympic points across the WTCS and World Cup races on offer. At this moment in time, Takahashi is 20th in the individual Olympic rankings; to be selected for Japan at next year’s Olympics, the first criteria is to be ranked in the top-20. Look out for an article with the full Japanese selection policy soon.
With a big summer and autumn, Takahashi will hope to solidify her top-20 ranking and punch her ticket to Paris.
For now, though, Takahashi is back in her second home in Monte Gordo. Alongside her will be regular training partner Jeanne Lehair, who herself is fresh off a bronze medal in Quarteira.
“We train together a lot so it was great to see her do well,” said Takahashi. “We worked together in race and her medal makes me happy and also inspires me.”
With a big year ahead, look out for similar success from Yuko Takahashi.
