Youri Keulen: Mid Season Catchup
Parcours athlete Youri Keulen, started climbing the ranks at the end of 2023, finishing 6th and the IRONMMAN 70.3 World Championships. He then hit the headlines, being given a Wild Card for the first T100 event of the year in Miami, where he finished 4th, and then another Wild Card for the T100 Singapore. He took the win in Singapore, and topped the T100 Rankings, as a Wild Card, i.e not a contracted athlete! He is now sitting 5th on the PTO World Rankings. We spoke to Youri back in March, off the back of his race in Miami, so we thought it was time we checked back in!
Planning for the year and flexibility
With some great results in the T100, Keulen is feeling happy and confident but not fulfilled (yet). He says it’s been difficult to plan the year, when relying on Wild Cards for T100 starts. Keulen just missed out on being offered a T100 contract for 2024, but was fortunate due to his ranking to be offered a Wild Card for Miami, and he showed his form finishing in 4th. But relying on Wild Cards for T100 starts is tricky as they aren’t guaranteed, making it hard to put a training plan in place, not knowing when you are building or peaking.
“On the other hand it really pushes me to the max in my preparation towards each race”
But Keulen also thrives on the challenge, and has high aspirations and goals. He’s pulled together a team to support him in working towards these. He’s worked with specific coaches to improve his weaknesses. He’s put himself in the best position and given himself a chance. With the Championships season just around the corner… his focus for the rest of the year…
“I’m very excited to get the Championship season underway as I do believe I can compete for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title and still win the T100 overall.”
Keulen has also had to adapt to an increased focus and attention on him, following his results in Miami and Singapore. He’s found this a double edge sword. On the one side he really thrives and enjoys it, and that he can inspire people by doing something he loves. However, it can also sometimes add an additional stress, and he realises he needs to adjust a little better to now being a name that is noticed.
Ensuring structure remains:
Whilst Keulen has had to be flexible with his plan for the year, and waiting on Wild Card starts, he also talks of how he really functions on day in, day out structure, when asked if he’d changed anything in his training and approach this year.
“I really function on day in day out similar structure. If that works for me then I did not see a reason why we needed to change the overall structure.”
However, what does change is the specific approach to each race, individually. They work hard to implement what’s needed for that race, into the daily plan. I think this was evident in Singapore, where Keulen and his team, had prepared specifically for that race and the conditions. That’s possibly where the Wild Card athletes have an advantage in some ways. They are potentially only in for one race, no guarantee of another, so nothing to lose and have to go all in. Whereas perhaps some of the contracted athletes are thinking about the full season and other commitments.
A T100 Match
Looking ahead and the T100 Ibiza is next up. Keulen finished 13th at the PTO Europe event in Ibiza last year, but feels he’s in a better place as an athlete this year. Not just in terms of fitness and ability, but with race skills and tactics. He also relishes the shorter travel, from Girona where Keulen is based, to Ibiza, hoping that gives him an advantage, rather than having the longer haul flights. But it’s the T100 overall that also appeals.
“As a former 800m runner I’m much more on the speed side than the endurance side. The 100k distance goes quite a lot faster than a middle distance (or 70.3) and I feel that comes in handy for me.”
As Keulen heads towards the second half of the T100 series, aiming for that overall win, as a Wild Card, he sees his main rivals as fellow Parcours athlete, and also Wild Card athletes Kyle Smith (NZL), as well as Marten van Riel, who won in San Francisco, but has then been focused on the Olympics. Also, Magnus Ditlev, who is currently sitting at the top of the PTO and T100 rankings.
And what does he love most about the sport….
“I love that we can train a lot. The diversity of the three disciplines and the process towards each race. But most of all the fact that you get really rewarded for the work you put in.”
