Tiszaújváros has always given us exciting racing but this weekend we were treated once more to a series of exciting races on Saturday that led us to the Sunday Finals.
With the ITU World Cup running alongside the ETU Junior European Cup it was time for our fast-developing Juniors to let some of the older athletes know, “We are the new kids on the block!” Soon we will see these junior athletes racing and challenging the older and more experienced Elite. Our future, it is being grown at events like this.
The “semi-final and then final” format is a tried and tested one that suits not only the athletes but also the venue. Our sport is designed to make people go, “Wow!” and this is exactly what happened with GB’s Sophie Alden storming to the lead with a massive advantage out of the water. Like so many before her from Team GB, she powered out of the lake, sped through T1 and then had enough to take the win. Behind her came Slovakia’s Kristína Jesenská, reigning ETU Junior Aquathlon Champion and all the way from Canada, Hannah Henry. Henry ran strong and looked relaxed. Of the top placed athletes in this semi-final, she looked confident going into the final.
Let’s just pause for a moment. Here we have a young Canadian athlete, all the way from British Colombia on the west coast, racing in a small town in Hungary … how small is the world now!
The second semi-final saw Hungary’s Dorka Putnóczki emerge from the lake with a huge lead. The 2016 silver medal winner looked as if she was on the way to repeating that performance, if not bettering it. The home crowd loved it; she races for the local club. But it was another Canadian, Desirae Ridenour fresh from her victory in Magog that gave her the Junior American title who had the final pace to take the win. Putnóczki came home second and behind her came fellow Hungarian, Sára Szegedi. Taking the fourth place was GB’s Olivia Matthias. Her 5th in Kitzbühel showed great potential and without having busted a gut in this race, she looked good for the finals too.
With the semis all done, it was going to be an exciting line-up for the final.
We had three semi-finals for the Junior Men. In recent months, ITU has done a lot of work with athletes to improve safety in the swim by focussing on the behaviour of athletes in the water. Using digital technology and by placing more technical officials on the water, any dangerous behaviour can be now monitored, controlled, recorded and penalised. Penalties were indeed issued and several men missed out on the chance to race in the finals because of their unsportsmanlike behaviour. By focussing on infringements and by penalising them in this manner, it is hoped that the swim can be safer and fairer for all athletes.
The first race saw Aussie athlete Callum McClusky follow up from his Holten win with an easy victory. His final run was powerful and he looked good for the final. Second place went to GB’s Cameron Harris. The ETU Junior Bronze Medal-winner from Kitzbühel swam hard and ran hard to just edge out Israel’s Elai Izhak Chaski.
The second semi-final saw a home win for Gergő Soós. It was his swim power that gave him the victory ahead of Portugal’s Tiago Fonseca and all the way from Chile, Diego Moya, the reigning Junior South American Champion.
The last of the semi-finals saw Austria’s Tjebbe Kaindl race neck and neck with Portugal’s Ricardo Batista and Norwegian,Vetle Bergsvik Thorn. Batista was part of that silver medal-winning team from the Panevėžys event and he came to the race in good form.
The semis over and done with, it was a chance for rest and recuperation and preparation for the Sunday finals and what a day it was.
With the air temperature at almost 32C and the water warm enough to make tea, it was of course a non-wetsuit swim, which makes the race even more spectacular for the spectators and gives the edge to the stronger swimmers.
The swim was led, to the cheers of the local supports, by Putnóczki. She was 12 seconds ahead of Matthias who lost further valuable seconds in transition. Ridenour looked strong and she now knew the strengths and weaknesses of the European athletes. A sensible ride from her and she was in striking distance of the podium if not the gold.
Her final run was the winner and it was gold to Canada. Putnóczki had done enough for silver and it was an easy bronze for Matthias ahead of the other Canadian athlete Henry.
The Men’s final saw a runaway victory for Csongor Lehmann. His semi saw him swim hard, bike easy and run to qualification but this race saw him dominate with the best swim and run combination of the race. He left silver to Batista and bronze to team mate Soós to give the Hungarian fans something to cheer about.
Fast and furious – a fantastic weekend of triathlon in what has become known as the “must-do” event of the world triathlon calendar. If you have never been before, then make this the one for 2018.
We are awaiting photos from the race and as soon as we can provide them, the gallery will be updated.