EDMONTON -- After a 12-month hiatus from racing, Paula Findlay won the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) Championship at the famous Daytona International Speedway in Florida on Sunday.
She won on the same course last year but pocketed $100,000 with this victory.
“Honestly, it’s not even the prize money that means that much to me. It’s just the caliber or race that it was and the level of athletes that were here,” said Findlay.
The 31-year-old completed the 100-kilometre route in three hours, 24 minutes and 55 seconds, winning by 2:36.
“It’s not like I just won by a bit. It was kind of a dominating win, which was super cool and unexpected,” Findlay told CTV News.
Findlay is starting to win again following a decade of poor health and poor results.
She burst onto the scene in 2010 and became a budding star in Canadian Triathlon. But then a string of injuries and iron-deficiency anemia stalled her progression.
“Obviously, over the last decade I’ve questioned, why am I still doing triathlon? Do I still like this anymore?... but it’s days like yesterday that kind of make it all worthwhile.”
This was the only race that went ahead after the pandemic wiped out the sport’s schedule. Findlay says the racing pause actually worked in her favour because she was able to train consistently while staying healthy and injury-free.
“Just because of my history of injury and kind of sickness, and always chasing the next race and feeling rushed to get healthy and fit. It was a nice break from that,” said Findlay.
She closed out her 2020 season with an emphatic win at Daytona.
Findlay hopes to stay on course and continue what looks like a remarkable comeback.
“I just got to keep this string of healthiness going and I think next year can be just as good.”
