Lisa Tertsch timed her final push to perfection to earn the 2026 Duathlon World Championship title as a hot morning of action got the first day of World Triathlon Multisport Championship racing up and running in Abu Dhabi.
After a cagey first 5km run and wind-swept 30km bike, it was Terstch and the previous day's WTCS winner Diana Isakova who pulled clear of the rest of the field over the second 5km run, but the Russian had no answer to Tertsch's extra gear from 200m out, settling for a gutsy silver ahead of Netherlands' Jasmijn Bakker
“I wasn’t surprised we were both at the front and I wanted a good race after a bit of disappointment yesterday. I had recovered well, that was a new double for me but it went quite well. I was conscious of the heat, you just have to take care of yourself out there.”
The pace was on-and-off for the tactical first 5km, Varo the first to try and up the ante as the field switched between running in the limited shade on offer and taking the inside line of the long sweeping curves of the course.
Tertsch was picking up the pace as the transition approached, Varo sticking with her and Bakker, Dupont and Isakova, only six seconds separating the top 10 but the legs now hurting for the opening pushes on the bike
It was a seven-deep pack that got away with Wasser and Bakker working hard to get a 30s lead at the halfway mark of the bike, only for Cornet to put in a remarkable effort to make a solo bridge back to join the leaders and it was eight athletes riding together towards the second transition, pace dipping slightly as the mental and physical preparations for a massive final 5km to the medals began.
Tertsch flew into transition with Isakova for closest company, and it was the Russian out first, Varo joining the challenge from the start of the final 5km.
Those three immediately pushed the pace, Cornet paying the price for her bike effort and dropping back, Dupont and Bazire the two able to stay closest to the medal positions.
Then it was suddenly Bakker and Dupont closing on Varo as the Spaniard began to feel the pace over the final 2000m, a two-woman shootout for the gold unfolding down the road.
Tertsch was locked on Isakova’s shoulder for most of the final lap but found an extra gear 200m out and sensed she could take her opponent from there, surging clear to the line and a first World Duathlon title, Isakova with silver five seconds back, Bakker able to dig in for bronze ahead of Dupont and Varo taking fifth.
In the race for the U23 world title, it was Camille Roman (BEL) with the gold, Laura Dugovičová (SVK) with the junior women's title.
