The 2023 World Triathlon Multisport
Championships Ibiza finally took to the water on Monday morning in Santa
Eulalia for the Aquathlon World Championships, and there were new names and
familiar faces of the sport scooping up the medals.
It was a 1km swim into a flat but
tight 5km run to negotiate, and the crowds were once again out in force for the
third day of competition.
Women’s race
The Hungarian team lit up the Aquathlon
World Championships in Ibiza on Monday as Zsanett Bragmayer powered her way to
the 2023 world title just two days after securing duathlon silver in Santa
Eulalia.
Tucked in on compatriot Marta
Kropko’s feet for most of the 1km swim, a patient run saw her move ahead early
on the 5km and never look back. Slovakia’s brilliant 18-year-old talent
Margareta Vrabolova took second, Celine Kaiser of Germany the bronze.
“I finally became a World Champion,
i’m so happy, I really enjoyed that!” said Bragmayer. “I really didn’t want to
lead the swim. I used to but now it’s ok for me not to. “I am going to the
World Military Championships and then Yokohama, that’s my big goal. There are
still 25 races in the season so it’s really busy but the big one is (WTCS) Yokohama.”
There was no doubting Kropko’s intent
or ability as she pulled to the front at the start of the swim, but she was
unable to shake clear Bragmayer nor Italian Giada Stegani even as she clocked
14m41 for the 1km out-and-back.
Home favourite Sara Perez Sala was
out in sixth just five seconds behind and followed by Ireland’s Chloe Pollard
and Vrablova ten seconds adrift.
It was the Portuguese youngster
Cassilda Carvalho showing those around her how to be slickest in transition and
she was quickly giving chase, but Bragmayer seized her moment and from early on
the result started to look in no doubt as she eased clear.
Celine Kaiser was flying further back
and picking her way into contention, going on to clock the fastest run time by
a huge margin of 35 seconds, but there was nothing she could do as the
transition neared and Bragmayer took the final right up the blue carpet to soak
in her moment.
The 18-year-old Vrablova was once
again showing her ability to mix it with the very best as she hung on for an outstanding
Elite silver and defended her 2022 Junior title, Marta Kropko fifth over the
line to become the U23 World Champion. She was joined on the podium by Stegani
and Laura Holanszky (HUN), and it was another Hungarian Nora Romina Nadas with
Junior silver ahead of Portugal’s Carvalho.
“That was amazing, race of my dreams,
I am super happy, said a smiling Vrablova. “The swim was very good. I didn’t
have a big gap on the run. I was approximately sixth but the gap was only 15
seconds so I was just pacing myself to the end. I was super excited and happy
to finish second, I didn’t expect it. It was great. Thanks to everyone for
supporting.”
For the full results, click here.
Men's race
With the men out first for the
deep-water start, Richard Varga was proving a popular man as the first names
out headed to the right buoy for the straightest line to the turn alongside
him, but it was the Hungarian duo of U23 rising star Gorgi Dobi and Marton
Kropko setting the pace, Spain’s Cristian Fernandez Neto on their feet,
Britain’s Jimmy Lund sticking close.
Christopher Perham (GBR) was there
too, but the final turn was complicated by his arm hitting the canoe and he was
suddenly 5 seconds off the pace, Badr Siwane of Morocco and Varga also taken
wide.
That strung things out even more, 30
seconds separating the top 20 out of the water, and the Hungarians were out
first onto the run, Kropko pulling clear.
That move lasted the first kilometre
along the harbour before Fernandez and Lund pulled alongside, Dobi falling off
the front while Italy’s Michele Bortolamedi patiently moved into position ten
seconds back.
Fernandez kept the pace on so that by
the time they turned back towards transition for the final time it began to
look like he had his rivals where he wanted them; drifting off his shoulder.
Perham stuck to his task and suddenly
he was able to reel in those ahead and hit second up the final turn but it was
Fernandez who held on to a superb win, the 2019 Age Group World Champion
marking an impressive switch to elite level racing. Lund held on for third as
Germany’s Jannick Schauffler threatened, Marton Kropko rounding out the top
five and taking the Junior world title in the process.
“I am very happy with my race,
especially today, knowing that my whole family is here watching and cheering
for me,” said Fernandez. “I want to dedicate this victory to all my family,
friends and coach who have supported me all the time, especially the last
months that have been tough”.
“On the swim I was just trying to
follow those feet in front so I think I left myself a little too much to do on
that run,” said Perham. “It was quite right, twisty, turny, the dead turns were
quite slippery on the ground surface, it was just about making up as much time
as I could on the flat sections. In the end, that finish came a bit too soon
for me to get that win but it was still a good race, to move my way back up to
second.”
“I had a good swim, it was a little
bit scrappy towards the end so came out fourth, then the run suited me quite
well with the twisty turns, because I come from a trail-running background,”
said Lund. “Loved that run out there today and really happy with that.”
Dobi powered on to finish sixth
overall and become the U23 World Champion, silver for Bortolamedi and Kyotaro
Yoshikawa (JPN) the bronze, Michael Gar (GBR) and Ilio Kopriva (BEL) completing
the Junior podium.
The next major Games event featuring
the aquathlon will be the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games Bali.
Full results can be found here. https://triathlon.org/results/result/2023_world_triathlon_multisport_championships_ibiza?mc_cid=2da87da07f&mc_eid=6139649918
ABOUT WORLD TRIATHLON
World Triathlon is the international
governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all
related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon,
cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in
Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the
programme at Tokyo 2020, while para triathlon was first added to the Paralympic
programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development
of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and
transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the
sport to be extraordinary.
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