World Triathlon

The 2023 World Triathlon Multisport Championships Ibiza finally took to the water on Monday morning in Santa Eulalia, 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.

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.