Q1. How does your No. 1 world rank affect your mentality in training and competition?

SIRI LINDLEY: It feels great to be ranked No. 1 in the world. I feel very honored and very happy to know that all my hard work has paid off in a dream come. It doesn't change the way I feel about myself or the races I enter - I still live with the same philosophy and motivation that I have over the last two years, and that is to do the very best that I can every time I race. Having done all the right training and hopefully leaving no stone unturned, I know that if I do this, I will be able to race well. This is a new year and a new season, so anything can happen, but I hope to stay at the top by continuing on with my hard training, dedication and commitment to my goals. Being ranked No. 1 gives me an added confidence in knowing that I am the one to beat. This is very motivating for me as it makes me want to get stronger, faster and better so as not to give anyone that chance!

Q2. What in your athletic background has helped you succeed in triathlons?

SIRI LINDLEY: I think my background in sports at Brown University - field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse - has definitely helped me with my career in triathlon. Through these sports I learned what dedication and commitment means. I learned how to win and how to lose gracefully. I learned just how passionate I am about challenging myself with athletic goals and working hard towards becoming the best that I can be.

Q3. Do you prefer team or individual sports?

SIRI LINDLEY: I loved playing on a team at Brown, just loved it. But when I finished college I was really motivated to try something where it was all up to me, an individual sport, one through which I could really learn about myself and what I'm made of.

Q4. How do you find your personal motivation in such a grueling individual sport?

SIRI LINDLEY: My inner-drive and motivation definitely come from wanting to be the very best that I can be as an athlete and as a human being. I have been so blessed with the abilities and talents that I have. I feel that the best way I can show my thanks for these amazing blessings is to go out there and use them to the utmost, and work hard to achieve my potential with all that I have been given. It is a constant personal journey of working hard at achieving personal excellence.

Q5. Who do you train with?

SIRI LINDLEY: My training partners are Loretta Harrop from Australia and Annie Emmerson from Great Britain. We all feel so fortunate to have each other to challenge one another every day and bring out our best. We are all great friends and have tons of fun, but we really make each other work. The quality of our group is exceptional. You can't ask for much more than that!

Q6. What sticks out in your mind as an unusual or crazy moment you've had during a competition?

SIRI LINDLEY: I remember a race in Brno, Czech Republic, a few years ago. We had to compete in torrential downpours and by the time we got to the run, we were running through the cobblestone streets with water literally up to our calves. We were "trudging," not running the 10K. It was pretty hysterical really. You kind of had to be there, I guess!

Q7. On the flip side, what has been one of your most demanding times during a competition?

SIRI LINDLEY: My most trying time in a triathlon would have to be in 1998 at the Clermont Triathlon. It was so boiling hot and I had that terrible dehydration thing happening. I wanted so desperately to get to the finish to qualify for the Worlds Team but my mind started to go, my legs started to go and I passed out about 20 meters from the finish! It was really devastating, but hey, another lesson learned.

Q8. Would you rather enter a race as the predicted favorite or as an underdog?

SIRI LINDLEY: I would rather go into a race being the favorite. Although, I really don't think it would matter either way. I suppose that being the favorite would just remind me that I have done all the hard work and have proven that I have the ability to win. Therefore, it's all about putting it together, giving it my all and the rest will just happen. It is confidence building for sure.

Q9. What about in life - do you usually grab the lead or choose to follow?

SIRI LINDLEY: In life, I usually am one to take the lead, but I am also open to following. For instance, I have a coach who I respect so much, and I am very willing to let him determine my daily training, knowing and trusting that what he gives me is what is best for me. But, I am also one to have complete faith in my own sense of self and thus know when something isn't good for me. Then I will do what I feel is right. I think leading a balanced life requires you to have faith in your own ideas and decisions, but to also be open to recommendations from those you trust and respect. I definitely feel that I have a strong sense of what I want and how I want to achieve those things. It's quite hard to steer me off the track - actually, quite impossible.

Q10. What has the sport of triathlon added to your life?

SIRI LINDLEY: Triathlon has been the most amazing addition to my life. Through this sport I have learned so much about myself, what I am made of and what I am capable of. It has given me the confidence that I can achieve great things with hard work, commitment and determination. It has taught me that dreams can come true no matter how impossible they may seem. But, in order to make them come true, you really need to give it everything you've got and never stop believing. I have met some of the most important people in my life through this sport. In training with others you develop a really special, strong bond that I think is everlasting. I have traveled the world and learned so much about it. I so hope that I can somehow motivate and inspire others all around the world through my performance and through other ways. If I can provide the same opportunities to others that I have been given in this sport, I know that I will be adding a very special thing to their lives.