Following Friday’s thrilling semifinals, Saturday saw the Youth Championships reach their climax in Melilla, with Switzerland’s Aimie Decrausaz and Portugal’s Artur Gaspar crowned champions. The two finals showcased the depth of young talent across Europe, with more than 120 athletes representing 31 federations throughout the Championships.
Both races were decided on the run after the fast, flat bike course encouraged large groups to form. With little separating the athletes on two wheels, the decisive moves came on foot as competitors raced through the historic streets of Melilla in pursuit of championship glory.
Decrausaz runs away with women’s title
Switzerland’s Aimie Decrausaz made it two wins from two races, following up her semifinal victory with gold in the women’s final.
Starting with bib number two, Decrausaz exited the water in the fourth-fastest time before joining the main group on the bike. The group worked together throughout the cycling leg, bringing a large number of athletes into the second transition.
Decrausaz began the run behind the leading runners but quickly set about closing the gap. Her efforts paid off as she produced the fastest run of the field, finishing 24 seconds clear of the next-best runner to secure the title.
Hungary’s Korinna Katona crossed the line in second, 13 seconds behind Decrausaz, repeating the result of their semifinal just a day earlier.
Great Britain’s Ellie Birchall completed the podium after also having work to do on the run. Like Decrausaz, Birchall left T2 behind the leading group and had to push hard over the final leg to put herself in medal contention. Having finished fourth in the semifinal, Birchall will be delighted to improve on that result and leave Melilla with a championship medal.
The podium reflected the importance of the run, with the three medallists proving to be the fastest runners in a race where the large cycling group kept the field closely packed heading into T2.
Gaspar takes dramatic men’s victory
The men’s final followed a similar pattern, with a large group remaining together on the bike before the race came down to a fierce battle over the run.
Portugal’s Artur Gaspar stayed with the leading group throughout the cycling leg and entered T2 in fourth position. A quick transition moved him into the lead, giving the Portuguese athlete an opportunity to turn his strong race position into a shot at the title.
The running was relentless, with the lead changing hands as the athletes fought for every second. However, as the race wound through Melilla’s historic city walls, Gaspar found an extra gear to pull clear and claim gold by just two seconds.
Gaspar recorded the fastest run split of the race, two seconds quicker than his nearest rival, and had enough time to celebrate as he crossed the finish line to the cheers of the crowd.
Luxembourg’s Emile Vanolst took silver, finishing just two seconds behind the winner, while home favourite Víctor Fernández Ortiz delighted the local supporters by securing third place.
Gaspar’s victory was particularly impressive given his semifinal performance. Having finished sixth in semifinal two, he secured his place in the final by just 14 seconds. He clearly saved his best for the championship race, delivering when it mattered most.
Fernández Ortiz had won his semifinal, with Vanolst finishing second in the other, underlining the quality of the athletes who would go on to battle for medals in Saturday’s final.
The action in Melilla concludes on Sunday with the mixed relay, scheduled to begin at 12:00, as the athletes return for the final event of the Youth Championships.
Full results can be found here.
