New Zealand triathlete Nicole van der Kaay, competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Olympian Nicole van der Kaay is bringing back the fun in 2025.
The Taupō triathlete had a packed 2024 and now wants to bring back the love this year.
Van der Kaay spent 10 months overseas last year, which included competing at her second Olympics, which didn't turn out the way she had hoped.
On Sunday she's back home, competing in the opening round of the World Cup series in Napier.
While she has taken on board the things that didn't go well for her in 2024, she admitted it was nice to be starting a new season.
"It was a massive year, a massive investment being away from home that long," van der Kaay told RNZ.
"I'm definitely feeling refreshed, the downtime allowed me to think about what I really wanted.
"When you step away from doing what you love and what you're use to, my hunger and drive for it definitely returned quickly."
The downtime wasn't that long. She had two weeks off training at the end of last year, which was extended slightly after getting sick, but she is now back into it.
Van der Kaay got a new coach leading into the Paris Olympics, which she admits was a bit of a gamble that didn't work out. Since then she's joined up with German Ben Reszel.
"I'm now working in areas that I want to work on, and so far it has been great.
"He (Reszel) is extremely specific when it comes to the details of the training, which is something I've never really had before so it's really cool to have at this point of my career."
Having been an elite athlete for the best part of a dozen years, van der Kaay is going back to what she likes best about the sport.
"Focussing on bringing back what I love, because everything last year was working on preparation for the Olympics.
"So this year I'm involving a lot more spice and fun to my campaign."
Van Der Kaay during the Paris 2024 Olympics. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
That will include competing in the events and at venues she enjoys most. She will also take part in a few longer 70.3 half Ironman races.
Van der Kaay is still required to compete in short course World Cup races, and that starts in Napier on Sunday.
She didn't race the event last year when it moved from New Plymouth.
"I'm not sure where I'm at, I don't have any expectations because I haven't raced for a while.
"So my plan is to enjoy it and set myself up for a good year."
2025 is the start of the new Olympic cycle, but van der Kaay says Los Angeles 2028 is too far away to think about at the moment.
"I'll wait and see how this year goes, it's not off the cards.
"I want to do what I love, and it's three years away, so as long as I keep on loving what I'm doing it's definitely on the cards."
The Napier Triathlon Festival starts at 8am on Sunday, 23 February, with the women's World Cup race at 11:15am and the men's at 1:15pm.
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