ID :
79681
Sun, 09/13/2009 - 00:37
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http://m.oananews.org//node/79681
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Brownlee claims world triathlon title
Baby-faced Brit Alistair Brownlee came of age as he claimed the 2009 world triathlon
title with a thrilling sprint finish on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
He may not look old enough to drink but the 21-year-old had the champagne flowing on
the podium after holding out nearest rival, Spaniard Javier Gomez, in the
championship series grand final.
The freckle-faced Brownlee showed experience beyond his years to claim his fifth win
of the series to clinch the overall crown with 4,400 points ahead of 2008 world
champion Gomez (3,959).
Brownlee finished the 1,500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run course in 1hr 44min 51sec,
six seconds ahead of Gomez.
Reigning Olympic champion Jan Frodeno of Germany was third.
"This is amazing. To do it in the way I have done it I could not have asked for
more," Brownlee said.
"I really had to give 100 per cent today. It was the toughest race of the year,
without a doubt.
"I think Javier looks the fittest and all of the strongest runners are here and I
won it on the run so I am delighted."
The locals still had plenty to cheer about with the Gold Coast's Courtney Atkinson
finishing an impressive fifth but fellow local Brad Kahlefeldt placed 34th.
Kahlefeldt, however, pulled off a win by just making it to the starting line.
The 30-year-old cut his foot to the bone on a competitor's bicycle spokes in the
London round of the series a month ago, almost losing two toes.
He had his toes strapped and needed a painkilling injection to compete on Saturday.
"As soon as I got to the run I could feel it, I was limping the whole way,"
Kahlefeldt said.
"I got to the point where I was thinking of walking."
Atkinson was feeling no pain after grabbing his second top five finish of the series
to jump from 10th to seventh on the overall rankings.
Kahlefeldt finished 12th overall.
"About halfway through the season I flipped my training toward running," Atkinson said.
"In two months I have managed to turn it around from someone who is a minute-plus
back on the run.
"It gives me confidence going into next year."
Brownlee arrived on the tourist strip knowing he could afford to finish fifth behind
a winning Gomez and still take out the overall world title.
Bruno Pais led by one-and-a-half minutes at the final transition and when Gomez
opted to gun for Pais, Brownlee went with him and used his renowned kick to reel in
the Portuguese leader halfway through the run before duelling for the lead with the
Spaniard.
Meanwhile, in the women's race on Sunday, Emma Moffatt will be eyeing her maiden
world title when she flies the Australian flag in the absence of injured Olympic
champion Emma Snowsill.
Moffatt tops the championship series standings but had her huge lead whittled away
by Swede Lisa Norden after missing the last two rounds with a foot injury.
The Beijing bronze medallist knows victory will seal her first world crown - easier
said than done against the Australian-coached Norden, who has used the Gold Coast as
a training base.
title with a thrilling sprint finish on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
He may not look old enough to drink but the 21-year-old had the champagne flowing on
the podium after holding out nearest rival, Spaniard Javier Gomez, in the
championship series grand final.
The freckle-faced Brownlee showed experience beyond his years to claim his fifth win
of the series to clinch the overall crown with 4,400 points ahead of 2008 world
champion Gomez (3,959).
Brownlee finished the 1,500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run course in 1hr 44min 51sec,
six seconds ahead of Gomez.
Reigning Olympic champion Jan Frodeno of Germany was third.
"This is amazing. To do it in the way I have done it I could not have asked for
more," Brownlee said.
"I really had to give 100 per cent today. It was the toughest race of the year,
without a doubt.
"I think Javier looks the fittest and all of the strongest runners are here and I
won it on the run so I am delighted."
The locals still had plenty to cheer about with the Gold Coast's Courtney Atkinson
finishing an impressive fifth but fellow local Brad Kahlefeldt placed 34th.
Kahlefeldt, however, pulled off a win by just making it to the starting line.
The 30-year-old cut his foot to the bone on a competitor's bicycle spokes in the
London round of the series a month ago, almost losing two toes.
He had his toes strapped and needed a painkilling injection to compete on Saturday.
"As soon as I got to the run I could feel it, I was limping the whole way,"
Kahlefeldt said.
"I got to the point where I was thinking of walking."
Atkinson was feeling no pain after grabbing his second top five finish of the series
to jump from 10th to seventh on the overall rankings.
Kahlefeldt finished 12th overall.
"About halfway through the season I flipped my training toward running," Atkinson said.
"In two months I have managed to turn it around from someone who is a minute-plus
back on the run.
"It gives me confidence going into next year."
Brownlee arrived on the tourist strip knowing he could afford to finish fifth behind
a winning Gomez and still take out the overall world title.
Bruno Pais led by one-and-a-half minutes at the final transition and when Gomez
opted to gun for Pais, Brownlee went with him and used his renowned kick to reel in
the Portuguese leader halfway through the run before duelling for the lead with the
Spaniard.
Meanwhile, in the women's race on Sunday, Emma Moffatt will be eyeing her maiden
world title when she flies the Australian flag in the absence of injured Olympic
champion Emma Snowsill.
Moffatt tops the championship series standings but had her huge lead whittled away
by Swede Lisa Norden after missing the last two rounds with a foot injury.
The Beijing bronze medallist knows victory will seal her first world crown - easier
said than done against the Australian-coached Norden, who has used the Gold Coast as
a training base.
