Just 12 months ago, national Para swimmer
Katie Crowhurst B3 was encouraged to take up triathlon. On Sunday morning in
Birmingham, she put together a dream major Games debut, passing Jessica Tuomela
B1 (CAN) on the third of four bike laps and then pulling clear all the way
through the 5km run to take the tape alongside guide Jessica Fullagar, becoming
the 2022 Commonwealth Games PTVI Champion in front of a delirious home crowd.
After a strong swim and bike, Tuomela
struggled to come to terms with a hilly run course, and it was Northern Ireland’s
Chloe Maccombe B3 who was able to find the extra gear, passing the Canadian to
earn a famous silver.
“We ran past my family and I started
crying, the support has been incredible and the last lap was amazing,” said a
shocked Crowhurst. “To be honest I didn’t know what to expect and on the bike I
just kept telling myself I had the energy to get through the run. It was great
to do that with Jess and the team has been really supportive, telling me to
keep pushing, and now I just want to take things as they come. I’ve just
finished school so I’ll be focussing on my sport for the next year and Paris is
the aim.”
It was Jess Tuomela and guide Emma
Skaug in the water first as the sole B1 athlete, trusting her rhythm to keep a
good pace all alone through the 750m swim, Katie Crowhurst quickly setting
about her task of trying to reel in her rival. It was a minute’s difference as
they hit the transition ramp, Scotland’s Alison Peasgood B2 a further 10
seconds back while Erica Burleigh and Chloe Maccombe were unable to gain
ground, hoping to use their bike abilities to close in.There was just 16
seconds difference to second after the first of four bikes laps, and Tuomela
could sense the home favourite by the time they reached the halfway point,
eventually passed on lap three and Crowhurst began to pull away.
An accident sadly ended Alison
Peasgood’s challenge for a medal, and by the bell Crowhurst already had a
20-second advantage.
The leader attacked the first run
climb and while Tuomela began to feel the pace on the hills, Maccombe looked
very much at home, eating into the deficit as the first kilometres of five
ticked by until she had Tuomela in range.
While Crowhurst came back into the
grandstand for the final time and took the tape to cheers, Maccombe had made silver
safe, eventually crossing with guide Catherine Sands half a minute ahead of
Tuomela who battled to third. Judith Maccombe (NIR) finished fourth, four
minutes behind her twin sister, South Africa’s Linsay Engelbrecht B3 and Erica
Burleigh B3 (AUS) in fifth and sixth.
“Walking up to the podium it really
hit me that we came second in the Commonwealth Games!” said Maccombe. “I
couldn’t have done it without Catherine. It was a technical bike but I had full
trust in what she said and again in the run when she said we could really push
for second. I really hope this inspires other people to try the sport and give
it a go.”
“We came in knowing I have a bit of
an issue but decided to do this as a team and i’m at peace with that decision,”
said Tuomela. “My internal metronome is not accurate so I just wanted to stay
calm on the swim and feel good and relaxed. I always check on who is up and
coming and I figured Katie would be there in the top three and it’s great for
the sport to have that.”
Full women's PTVI results can be
found here. https://triathlon.org/results/result/2022_birmingham_commonwealth_games/567962?mc_cid=e3dffb931a&mc_eid=6139649918
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