Nicole van der Kaay is an elite short-course triathlete who has built a highly accomplished international career through consistency and progression across the world stage. With a background in cross country running and swimming, she transitioned into triathlon at a young age and quickly rose through the ranks, highlighted by a 4th place finish at the U23 Elite World Championships. She went on to represent her country at two Olympic Games and secured a bronze medal in the Mixed Relay at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Her individual performances include a standout 2nd place at WTCS Hamburg in 2021, alongside multiple podium finishes in World Triathlon Championship Series mixed relay events. Known for her strength across all three disciplines and her ability to perform under pressure, she has established herself as a key competitor within the global triathlon circuit. Continually striving to elevate her performance, she remains driven by the pursuit of excellence and long-term development at the highest level of the sport.
Nicole’s journey in elite short-course triathlon began through a foundation in cross country running and swimming, where early exposure in intermediate years sparked both encouragement and ambition. By the age of 16, she had already begun to see the potential of a professional pathway, fuelled by the excitement of racing, travel, and continuous progression. That early promise quickly translated into results on the world stage, including a 4th place finish at the U23 Elite World Championship, a 3rd place finish in the Mixed Relay at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, 2nd place at WTCS Hamburg in 2021, multiple WTCS mixed relay medals, and appearances at two Olympic Games—each milestone reinforcing her place among the sport’s elite.
A defining breakthrough came when she earned her first World Cup medal just two weeks before the Commonwealth Games, a moment that solidified her belief that she truly belonged at the highest level of competition. Since then, her motivation has remained rooted in the pursuit of continual improvement—always striving to raise her performance and become a better version of herself with every race and training block. Off the course, she is known for her kindness and compassion, with a deep love for nature, animals, and people, and a curiosity that extends beyond sport, including a long-standing passion for winter sports and skiing, which she has had to put on hold due to her year-round racing commitments.
In training and racing, she relies on Shokz as a trusted daily companion, with a relationship built on consistency and performance support. The OpenSwim Pro has become her favourite model, valued for its versatility across swim sessions, heat training, and everyday use, making it a seamless part of her multi-environment training demands. Whether riding through key sessions powered by upbeat music, or using it for calls, meditation, and recovery moments, Shokz is always present in her routine. As she puts it, they are essentially always with her—an athlete-first brand that not only understands the realities of high-performance training, but also supports athletes through both product innovation and presence across key sporting environments.
In training and racing, she relies on Shokz as a trusted daily companion, with a relationship built on consistency and performance support. The OpenSwim Pro has become her favourite model, valued for its versatility across swim sessions, heat training, and everyday use, making it a seamless part of her multi-environment training demands. Whether riding through key sessions powered by upbeat music, or using it for calls, meditation, and recovery moments, Shokz is always present in her routine. As she puts it, we are essentially always with her—an athlete-first brand that not only understands the realities of high-performance training, but also supports athletes through both product innovation and presence across key sporting environments.
