Lucy Charles-Barclay has posted a message on her Instagram page today, thanking fans for their support. In the heartbreakingly honest message, the Ironman world champion shared that she needed time to figure out what happened.

In a repeat of the 2025 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Charles-Barclay again stopped on the side of the road around 18km before the end of the run. Her husband and coach, former pro Reece Barclay was there to comfort her.

This year she was open about her determination to go back and avenge that DNF, even going as far as to sit out the Ironman 70.3 World Championships to give herself the best shot at the big race. In the end the 2026 race was won by Taylor Knibb (USA) who also succumbed to the heat in 2026.

In the post, Charles-Barclay is open about the hurt this second year has caused and says that there is no clear reason, but that the winter months will allow her and her team the time they need to reflect: “I still don’t know what happened. I believed in the work. I believed in myself. I believed in my team. Maybe that’s the hardest part to accept.”

“It isn’t easy to admit this”

The full message from Charles-Barclay is written below and you can see it on her Instagram feed, which is already flooded with messages of support from fellow pro triathletes and supporters:

View this post on Instagram

“I’ve needed time before I could write this.

Thank you for every message. I’ve read them all, even the ones I couldn’t bring myself to reply to.

They’ve meant more than you know.

Honestly, I’m still hurting.

I still don’t know what happened. I believed in the work. I believed in myself. I believed in my team. Maybe that’s the hardest part to accept.

We prepared for so many scenarios. Not this one.

Last year, Marbella gave us a shot at redemption. This year, there’s no quick way to make it right.

Kona will sit with me through the winter, and I’m slowly starting to accept that.

So I’m going to use it. I’ll look honestly at everything, ask the hard questions and change what needs changing. I’ll remember exactly how this feels long after it stops hurting. I think I need to.

It isn’t easy to admit this here. I’ve felt embarrassed. I’ve worried about being judged when I’m already down. But I’d rather be honest than pretend I’m fine.

I’m not fine yet. I will be.

Thank you for standing by me. ❤️“

Lead image: KAILUA KONA, HAWAII – OCTOBER 10: Lucy Charles-Barclay #6 of the United Kingdom competes in the run portion of the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship on October 10, 2026 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for IRONMAN)