Taylor Spivey on Winning Olympic Silver and Her Triathlon Journey

Taylor Spivey, fresh from winning silver in the mixed relay at the Paris Olympics, reflected on the emotional highs and challenges she faced throughout the games. Speaking to Adam Leitch for the latest episode of 'Face to Face' she said: “Winning an Olympic medal is every athlete's dream. To win silver with Team USA in such a close race was really special. The outpouring of support has been overwhelming—not just from people who follow triathlon, but from friends, family, and people I grew up with. It feels like this achievement belongs to them as much as it does to me.”

Despite her excitement over the relay, Spivey admitted that her 10th-place finish in the individual event was a personal disappointment. "A top 10 is good, but I just wasn’t feeling myself that day. It was my first Olympics, and I didn’t fully grasp the demands that come with it. The week before, staying in the Olympic Village with all the obligations and distractions, it took a toll."

After the individual race, she and her teammates stepped away from the Village for a few days to recover and focus on the relay. "We came back with a bit more energy," Spivey said, "and we wanted to give everything—not just for ourselves, but for each other."

In the relay, Spivey felt a renewed sense of confidence and responsibility. "I knew I had to keep us at the front," she recalled. Despite a tough swim, she made up ground on the bike and positioned her team well for the final push. "I could tell everyone else was suffering a bit more than usual, and I knew if I handed off to my teammates in a good spot, we had a real shot at the podium."

Reflecting on the overall experience, Spivey spoke candidly about her growth since missing out on the Tokyo Olympics, describing it as a turning point that pushed her to become stronger. “Missing Tokyo was hard. I felt I was in the best shape of my life at that time. But when you don’t make it, you have to find a way to come back, and that’s what I did for Paris."

Looking to the future, Spivey is undecided about competing in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, her hometown. "If it wasn’t in LA, I’d probably say no," she admitted, “but it’s hard to resist the idea of competing at home." In the meantime, she plans to take on new challenges, exploring long-course triathlon to keep her passion alive while she contemplates her next steps.

You can watch the full episode with Taylor HERE