Meet the New T100 Wildcard: Sam Dickinson

BMC Pro Triathlon Team Training Camp, Lanzarote, Spain on 30th January, 2025. Photo courtesy James Mitchell

There’s a new wildcard entry for T100 French Riviera: Sam Dickinson. The 27-year-old British triathlete made the change to long distance after the Paris Olympics, where he selflessly helped his teammate Alex Yee win gold in the men’s race. Dickinson medaled himself, later earning a bronze in the mixed team relay with his teammates Yee, Beth Potter and Georgia Taylor-Brown. But just before the Olympics, Dickinson signed with the BMC Pro Triathlon team, making his intentions to pursue long distance very clear. He cemented that decision with a win at IRONMAN 70.3 Italy two months after Paris. 

This season, he’s had three fourth places in 70.3 Pro Series races and a second at IRONMAN 70.3 Sweden. Dickinson was set to continue racing on the 70.3 circuit, preparing at altitude in Font Romeu, France for the Zell Am See Pro Series race, until he was offered a T100 Wildcard. Making his debut at T100 French Riviera, perhaps the 100km distance will be his sweet spot. 

Slowtwtich: When did you get the call up to race T100 and what made you decide to race?

Dickinson: I came out to Font Romeu originally to race Ironman Zell Am See Pro Series, but got the T100 invite the first week, so plans changed after that. It’s so much better now because I can drive down to Fréjus and not have to fly to Austria.

You won a bronze medal in the mixed team relay in Paris and then decided to fully move into long course racing. How has it been, emotionally, leaving short course and the British Federation program, something that you’ve spent your life dedicated to?

Paris was a dream turned goal I had for many years from watching London 2012 then making the Tokyo reserve team before finally Paris. I love what the Olympics brings to people worldwide and the inspiration it can provide to the next generation; however, long course is a new challenge for me, and one I’m really enjoying.

What has been the most surprising adjustment? 

Long course is certainly more relaxed than the short course race days, usually there’s plenty of time to do transition and swim warm ups. This is a nice change to the minute-by-minute pre-race short course schedules!

How have you changed your physical preparation? Anything specific for this T100?

The big change is 20-meter versus 12-meter drafting in the T100 races. So we’ve got after the bike a bit more in the last block to move my thresholds up to hopefully be competitive with the best on the T100 circuit.

You’re currently ranked 41st in the PTO world standings with your swim being your best discipline. Can we expect to see you leveraging your swimming prowess in Frejus?

Hopefully, I can be towards the front out of the swim. Especially if the sea is choppy and, if it’s a beach start, then the swim can split. Obviously, there are some excellent swimmers in the field, so staying with them will be challenging, but a challenge I’m looking forward to.

You’re part of the BMC Pro Triathlon team and your teammate Antonio Benito is racing. Will there be any team tactics at play?

Benni is an incredible athlete and I’m lucky he’s also my teammate. I hope I can be near him on race day as he is likely to be at the front, but I’m sure we will help each other if the race situation calls for intelligent racing to benefit both of us.

Has Benito or any other T100 athletes given you any advice or tips?

Yes, I’ve had some lovely words from other T100 athletes, but mainly it comes down to racing my own race and trying to have my best race on Saturday and not get distracted by race dynamics and things out of my control.

Describe yourself as an athlete in 3 words?

Driven, ambitious, lucky.

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