A young man smiling, wearing a blue and white sports jersey, with a water bottle in hand, against a bright blue sky with some clouds.

About The Coach

Hi, my name is Dries Matthys and for as long as I can remember, I’ve had the dream of being a professional triathlete, not solely for the sake of winning but even more to be able to impact people through my love for endurance sports.

As a 27 year old, being in triathlon for 20 years, I’ve competed at all levels across all distances. I now race at the highest level of Ironman racing, which can sometimes be a selfish endeavour, more than I expected. Which is why I took up coaching a couple of years ago. One of the best decisions I made as I completely fell in love with sharing my experience and love for the sport.

As a coach, I focus on the human behind the athlete. Understanding, empathy and discussion are the pillars of a succesful coach-athlete relationship. This, in combination with my deep understanding of what is needed for high level performance, creates an environment for continued evolution for both the athlete, and the human.

My Athlete Track Record

  • IronMan Frankfurt: 8 hours 3 minutes and 17th place IM European Championships 2025.

  • 5th place Triathlon Alpe d’Huez 2024

  • 8th place EmbrunMan XXL 2024

  • Multiple Sprint and Olympic distance European and World cups participations.

  • Multiple Belgian Division 1 wins and podiums.

  • 6 Belgian titles: 4 in teamtriathlon, 2 x U23 (Sprint and Olympic Distance)

My Coaching Track Record

  • Coached multiple athletes to 70.3 and Ironman World Championship qualifications

  • Helped multiple athletes go from ‘never done a triathlon’ to completing an Ironman or 70.3 and identifying as ‘I am a triathlete’.

  • Short distance coaching for a first division team, focused on speed/skills/tactics for short fast racing.

  • Helped athletes from ‘I run once a week’ to completing a Marathon or Ultratrail in a injury-free sustainable way.

About the Community

As athletes at Matitser Endurance, we commit to:

  • Train and race with intention. How we approach things and why we do them is the key to fullfilling experiences in endurance sports.

  • Strive for peak performance while not mistaking performance for identity. We are whole, whether we win or lose that doesn’t change a thing.

  • Support and inspire our fellow athletes, both inside and outside the training crew.

  • Carry the values we stand for as athletes, into every other part of life.

Triathlon athlete crossing the finish line at the Ironman World Championship in Madison, Wisconsin, showing a time of 9 hours, 38 minutes, and 53 seconds, with a joyful expression and arms outstretched.
Two women smiling and holding drinks at an outdoor event near a body of water, wearing athletic clothing and jackets.
Four smiling athletes in sports gear standing outdoors after a race, with a blue arch and clouds in the background.
Two men wearing medals and race bibs smiling at an outdoor marathon event with other runners and green trees in the background.
Three women in wetsuits smiling and hugging by a lake, with a crowd of people in the background.
“J’ai des sensations complètement dingues sur le vélo”
— La machine de Guerre (Edmond S.)
“I like living carelessly and doing extreme events that I’m not ready for, now that I’m coached by Dries, I still do them, but at least I’m properly prepared”
— Gaspard T.
“TBD”
— Zoé V.