In an event filled with top international athletes, wildcard entrant Youri Keulen from the Netherlands emerged victorious at the Singapore T100 triathlon. Despite fierce competition from Olympic and world champions, Keulen stole the spotlight with his dramatic win on April 14 in the grueling 100km race, held amidst Singapore’s oppressive heat.

Keulen, only in his second appearance at a T100 event after a notable fourth-place finish in Miami, endured temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius and 70% humidity. His victory came with a physical toll; the 25-year-old collapsed from exhaustion after crossing the finish line in a time of 3 hours, 21 minutes, and 1 second. He was promptly attended to by medical staff and later hospitalized, reflecting on his win as both exhilarating and exhausting.

The race, featuring a 2km swim, 80km bike ride, and 18km run, saw strong performances from American Sam Long and Belgium’s Pieter Heemeryck, who finished second and third respectively. Long, renowned for his strong biking skills, nearly caught up despite trailing in the swim, while Heemeryck, a podium regular, acknowledged the challenge of competing early in the season.

The event was not without its disappointments for some favorites. Notable non-finishers included France’s Ironman world champion Sam Laidlow and British two-time Olympic gold medalist Alistair Brownlee, both of whom faced physical setbacks.

This year's T100 drew over 6,000 participants across its triathlon and duathlon events.

Keulen is a deboer team athlete who has been with the brand since the beginning of 2023. His unexpected victory underscores the unpredictable nature of endurance sports, where determination often decides the day. As Keulen recovers, his performance at Marina Bay will undoubtedly be remembered as a testament to the sheer willpower required to conquer one of the sport’s most demanding races.