Women's health advocate Reyss Wheeler is confronting a lifelong fear of water as she prepares to compete at the London T100, hoping her journey will inspire other women to step outside their comfort zones.
Featuring an open water swim taster session, the Hackney event showcased British Triathlon's work with London community groups to open more opportunities to get involved in triathlon.
Confronting Fear
Wheeler, who founded the women's health organisation STUK, is leading a group of 20 women who will be competing in London and hopes to prove anything is possible. They attended British Triathlon's '50 days to go' launch event ahead of the World Triathlon Championship Series on 25 July. The initiative was part of British Triathlon's work within the London community to open more opportunities to get people involved in triathlon. Some women had never put a wetsuit on before, so the swim was the perfect preparation to build their confidence leading up to the July race.
“We've had a few women come down for their first ever attempt in open water,” said Wheeler. “We're not all at the level of getting in open water yet, so we're practising in the pool, but a few came to see what it's like to put on a wetsuit and be in colder water.”
Building a Legacy
Through community involvement, British Triathlon is helping build a legacy for triathlon in London by growing participation in clubs and events, and making the sport more accessible. Thousands of amateur triathletes will take on a range of distances across the wider London T100 weekend, and Wheeler is one of many facing her fears.
“I can run and I can cycle,” she said. “But this is my first time in the water in 27 years. I'm having to combat my lifelong fear of water to make sure the women in our community see that it's possible. I've started swimming lessons and I'm excited to make sure that within the next seven weeks, I can do a 400m swim in open water.”
Elite Competition Returns
It is an exciting time for the London triathlon community, with a brilliant weekend of competition to look forward to. WTCS racing returns to the city on 25 July for the first time since 2015, and around 100 of the world's top triathletes are set to compete. Some standout British names will feature, including Olympic champion Alex Yee and former World Champion and current leader in the 2026 World Championship, Beth Potter. Both elite races will finish in under an hour, with the sprint format promising fast, spectator-friendly racing. The WTCS race will be based around ExCeL London in the Docklands, and it is free to watch.
“It is important for people in my community to find out who women like Beth Potter are,” said Wheeler. "The exposure and the opportunity will come through the World Championships, and being attached to that triathlon will open up our women's horizons. We're going to have loads of our women there supporting our home triathletes. Don't be afraid to learn and fail in public. The only way we realise and actualise our potential is by stepping out of our comfort zone."
