As a dress-rehearsal for 2012, yesterday could scarcely have gone better for Britain’s triathletes on the Hyde Park course that will be used for the London Olympics.
Alistair Brownlee won the men’s event and Helen Jenkins, the reigning world champion, came third in the women’s in the Dextro Energy World Championship series.
The day was only blemished by Brownlee’s chief rival, Javier Gomez, Spain’s world and European champion, crashing out on the cycling leg and the two leaders after the same discipline, Bruno Pais of Portugal and Ruedi Wild of Switzerland, failing to stop at the end of the cycling and start the 10km run. They continued on their bikes for another lap, but an official of the International Triathlon Union insisted: “The bell was rung to signal one lap to go, after which it is the athletes’ responsibility to know that they are on the last lap.”
Away from the distractions, Brownlee produced another serene performance, his fourth win in the four races in the series that he has contested this season. He now goes to the grand final on the Gold Coast in Australia next month, where even a mediocre performance will ensure that he has accumulated enough points from the series to be crowned world champion.
He said: “I could not have expected this at the beginning of the season, not even after Kitzbuehel. I have had a fair bit of luck in my races, including Gomez crashing out today. It is not good to win a race when the person you want to beat has to drop out.”
The most impressive feature about Brownlee is that he has accomplished so much at the age of 21. Triathlon is a sport where most competitors peak in their mid-to-late twenties and he may not even have completely fulfilled his physical potential by 2012. During the 38.4km cycling leg yesterday, he was so frustrated that other competitors would not share the pace-making that he began waving his arms at some of his rivals, who allowed the field to bunch before the running section.
However, nothing could stop Brownlee on the run. By halfway on the 10km discipline, he had broken away from the field and he could afford to slow in the final few strides and salute a packed crowd in the finishing tunnel. His time was 1hr 41min 50sec, eight seconds ahead of the second-placed Steffen Justus of Sweden.
Brownlee comes from a suitable family and genetic background. His mother was a national standard swimmer and his father a talented cross-country runner. His 19-year-old brother, Jonathan, the European junior champion, was alongside Alistair for much of the cycling yesterday and eventually finished 27th.
“It helps to train together,” said the younger sibling. “We push each other. If it’s cold and raining, one of us will order the other out of bed for a session at 6am.”
In the women’s race, Jenkins, 25, from Bridgend, came out of the Serpentine in second place, just five seconds behind Australia’s Annabel Luxford. However, because the 1.5km swimming leg is relatively short in duration compared with the other two disciplines, they did not have a decisive lead and were quickly caught on the cycling, the second leg. A pack of 31 competitors began the 10km run almost together and Jenkins was always among the leaders. With 500 metres left, Nicola Spirig, the Swiss European champion, twice tried to break away but without success.
She said later: “There was a strong headwind and I just hoped my sprint would be fast enough.”
It was. With 150 metres to go she accelerated away and finished two seconds clear of Lisa Norden of Sweden in 1h 54min 24sec.
Jenkins, not the quickest of sprinters, was third in 1hr 54min 29sec. The Briton said: “I just did not have the legs for the sprint at the end. Still I learnt a lot from the course, which is really fast, and now I have three years before the Olympics to work out how to break away from the field.”
The unstoppable Alistair Brownlee again showed he is the real deal taking his fourth Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series win in four starts in front of an elated home crowd in London, Saturday. The 21- year old raced from the front over the entire 2012 Olympic venue, cruising home in front of an ecstatic home crowd in a time of 1 hour 41 minutes and 50 seconds. In second place was another up and coming athlete in Germany’s Steffen Justus, eight seconds back. In third was New Zealand’s Kris Gemmell, another three seconds back, just beating Sebastien Rank in a sprint across the line.
I can’t quite believe it, I never expected at the start of the season to get a win in Madrid, Washington or Kitzbühel or here,” said Brownlee. “I’ve had a lot of luck on my side, but you’ve got to make the most of it and I think I have. It’s been a great run of results and I hope it continues.”
Entering second transition was some 47 men, the largest bike pack seen this year. But despite his frustrations, out to the front immediately was Brownlee pushing the pace and although a small group was able to stay with him over the first six kilometres, it was not long until it was the series leader on his own, as per usual. The seemingly unstoppable Brownlee once again blew away the field to claim his fourth Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series race this season with a closing 28:43 run split. Tim Don came home 9th in what was his best finish of the season following a tough journey back from injury.
So with his win, Brownlee solidifies his lead in the Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series rankings, maxing out his points total leading into the Grand Final on the Gold Coast of Australia in four weeks time.
Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series
Official Rankings
1st – Alistair Brownlee (GBR) – 3,200 pts
2nd – Maik Petzold (GER) – 2,493
3rd – Steffen Justus (GER) – 2,388
4th – Javier Gomez (ESP) – 2,368
5th – Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) – 2,276
If you missed the action catch up on the BBC iPlayer
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