Benjamin Choquert claimed back the title of King of Duathlon with a powerful victory at the World Games in Chengdu, showcasing a masterclass of endurance, speed and strategy to cross the line in first place. The current World Champion was followed on the finish line by Arnaud Dely and Vincent Bierinckx, from Belgium, who controlled the race almost until the end under the scorching heat at Xinglong Lake.

The first race of the programme of the Duathlon at the World Games saw 34 athletes toeing the start line at 8am, ready for the new format of 5km run, 30km bike and 5km run.

The initial 5km run saw a tightly packed group jostling for position, with several athletes, including Choquert, Arnaud Dely, Vincent Bierinckx, Mohamed Nemsi (MAR) and Javier Martin Morales (ESP), all clocking nearly identical times, staying at the front. Behind them, the group was stretching but still in touch with the leaders, so the running battle set the stage for a frenetic transition into the bike leg.

On the demanding 30km bike course, tactics came into play. The first lap saw Ondrej Kubo (SVK) launching an early attack, pushing the pace to test the waters, followed by Valentin van Wersch (NED) who upped the tempo to gain a slight advantage. As the laps progressed, small groups formed. The French and Belgian contingent stayed close together, while Thomas Cremers (NED) managed to bridge across and maintain close contact with the leaders.

Thibaut de Smet (BEL) and Mohamed Nemsi (MAR) kept the pressure on, ensuring no one could gain a comfortable lead. However, it was Ondrej Kubo who continued to launch several attacks, disrupting the rhythm of the pack and forcing others to respond, all of them trying to break the legs of Choquert, knowing that he would be hard to beat on the run. The technical and hilly course, combined with the rising heat, took its toll, and the pack began to fracture in the last lap, with Fabian Holbach (GER) managing to open a small break in the final lap of the bike, but not enough to leave Choquert behind.

The German was first on the running shoes for the final 5km run, followed by Dely, Smet, Nemsi and van Wersch (NED), But quickly Choquert, known for his resilience, made a decisive move early in the 5km run, pushing the pace, moving to the front of the race and immediately opening a gap on his rivals.

Choquert’s surge proved too much for the rest of the field. With a blistering pace, he extended his lead, leaving Dely and Bierinckx holding off the charging pack to secure the silver and bronze medals, respectively. The final run segment saw them running neck and neck for a significant portion before Dely pulled away in the closing stages to claim second place.

De Smet crossed the finish line in fourth place, securing a 2-3-4 for Team Belgium, while Mohamed Nemsi of Morocco also had a day to remember, finishing in 5th place, a historic achievement and the best-ever result for a Moroccan duathlete at the World Games. 

Sixth on the finish line was van Wersch Valentin (NED), followed by Kubo Ondrej (SVK), Hugo Figueiredo (POR), Thomas Cremers (NED) and Mickael Chaumond from Cambodia rounding up the top 10. 

What the athletes said: 
Choquert:  After Pontevedra Im very happy with the results today. I was second in Birmingham but the gold here is great, I am really happy. For me this format is better, but the weather today was really hot so it was really hard out there. (Talking about the team tactics from the Belgians) I was scared a bit at some points because they were trying to push always and I was afraid that this will have a toll on me'. 

Dely: 'Our team's goal was to go all out on the bike, since we knew the short course favored strong runners. We've tried a lot on the bike, but the course was so fast that it wasn't easy to break away. It took a lot of energy out of me, and I think that affected my final run when competing for the win. But I am really happy with my performance and the performance of my teammates today'. 

Bierinckx: 'I'm satisfied. I feel fortunate that this is my first time on the podium. I've had so many fourth-place finishes before, never making it to the podium, but now I've finally done it here at TWG. We have a mixed relay on Sunday. We may have a little party today, and then recover for Sunday'.