I actually didn’t want a big media hoopla about it.

So I wanted to see, did I still have these thoughts after having George, after pregnancy? I was pretty sure I wanted to come back to triathlon, but as I don’t know how much you know about pregnancy and hormones, but everything’s crazy And your brain as a female literally changes. I wasn’t dreading it, which was a big reason I left triathlon. And so I was like, Well, this is promising. I was pregnant, but I was improving in my swim. So he brought it up when I was pregnant, and for me, I was like 'Let's try in the pool, let's see if I can improve.' He knows me very well, better than anyone else, and I trust him. I’d always told them, I would come back if I could just do the relay, and so he kind of knew that. Gwen Jorgensen: This all started when I was pregnant, and Pat brought it up, because he knew that I felt like I missed out by not being on the relay.

Triathlete: What was the catalyst for you to return to triathlon? And why announce today? We sat down with the legend to discuss how she made the decision to return to triathlon, how moms like Nicola Spirig and Chelsea Sodaro inspired her comeback, and why the uphill battle to a spot on the Paris 2024 team excites her most of all. team for the 2024 Olympics in the mixed relay event (which will also require making the individual team). The tri world is buzzing with the big, surprising news dropped by Gwen Jorgensen today: Five years after stepping away from the sport to pursue a career in professional running, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist in triathlon will return to multisport. This article originally appeared on Triathlete

Gwen Jorgensen by Elizabeth Jorgensen