Madalina Florea | Back-to-Back Golden Trail World Series Champion Interview

Madalena Florian, the reigning champion of the Golden Trail World Series, reflects on her remarkable season after securing her second consecutive title. In a candid conversation, she expresses gratitude for her achievements and discusses the emotional and physical challenges she faced throughout the year, including a recent illness that impacted her performance. Despite the difficulties, Florian emphasizes the importance of resilience and the joy of competition, noting that she has grown significantly as an athlete.

Florian shares insights into her race strategies, particularly during the challenging final race, where she navigated tough weather conditions and fierce competition. She highlights her mindset leading into the event, revealing that she had to adapt her approach due to an injury sustained earlier in the season. The discussion also touches on her relationships with fellow competitors, including a friendly rivalry that pushed her to perform at her best.

Looking ahead, Florian expresses her desire to continue improving and exploring new challenges, including potential participation in longer races. She reflects on the significance of her victories and the financial support they provide for her family, while also emphasizing the importance of enjoying the journey and fostering connections with others in the sport. As she prepares for a well-deserved break, Florian's message resonates with the value of perseverance, friendship, and the joy of running.

Welcome to Freetrail's Trailgating coverage of the 2026 Golden Trail World Series Final from Muju Trail in South Korea.

This is the post-race interview with Madalina Florea, the Golden Trail World Series overall champion!

Thanks to Salomon for supporting our coverage!

Since the early 2000s, Salomon's running products and international athletes have contributed to the international growth of trail running – now a world-renowned sport and drawing thousands of runners to each race. The circuit was launched in 2018 and Salomon brought the GTWS to live television for the first time ever in 2023 with Eurosport, which was a milestone for the sport.

The Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) circuit is the leading short distance trail running circuit, broadcast to a growing audience of sports fans globally. The GTWS is a highly entertaining, TV-ready format with races lasting around 2 hours, featuring steep climbs and technical descents as well as a "flower" format that allows spectators to see more of the race and better engage with the athletes. This circuit and the athletes running it show the growth potential of the sporting format for the Golden Trail World Series, which is recognized as the flagship event on the global trail running calendar.

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