Hewitt fourth on Gold Coast and third in World Series rankings

Credit: Delly Carr/ITU

New Zealand triathlete Andrea Hewitt posted yet another top five performance on the World triathlon Series with a 4th place finish on the Gold Coast, a result that consolidates the Cantabrian in 3rd place on the World Series rankings.

Hewitt was the best performed of the New Zealanders, with Simone Ackermann finishing 26th, Rebecca Clarke 38th in the women’s race while Tony Dodds backed up after his 10th in Auckland with 11th in the men’s race with Ryan Sissons off the pace today in 37th on a fast and furious Gold Coast course that will in 2018 host the Commonwealth Games triathlon races.

Gwen Jorgensen (USA) continued her complete dominance of the women’s sport with her 8th consecutive WTS race win, leading a USA podium with Sarah True and Katie Zaferes winning silver and bronze.

In the men’s it was Jonny Brownlee (GBR) who made it back to back wins after victory in the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland event a fortnight ago, winning from Spaniards Mario Mola and Javier Gomez.

Hewitt exited the swim in the main chase group and had plenty to do from then on to run through plenty of the field on the run in posting the third quickest time over the 10 kilometres, in the process being one of only two others to stay within a minute of the imperious Jorgensen.

“It was tough, I started on the right in the swim and kept getting pushed out on the first lap, it was difficult to get it going but I managed to move up on the second lap to come out in that mid-pack and then really pushed hard on the bike. It is hard when coaches say everyone needs to work but no one is working together, do I did a lot of work on the bike and on the run I just pushed on the last lap. I thought I was close with one lap to go but I am really happy with fourth considering I was in that second group.

“This is a good result for the season and for the World Triathlon Series points so I am happy about that but I would like to be in that front group so I was disappointed about that.”

Clarke swam well to exit with the leaders and was amongst the front runners on the bike until trouble struck late on, dropping the Aucklander down the field after a brave early showing. Ackermann continued on the back of her career best 10th place in Auckland with a steady race for 26th, earning vital ranking points for herself and for the New Zealand team in the Olympic ranking race amongst nations.

The men’s race was blown open early on as Brownlee led a breakaway of four that included swim sensation Richard Varga (CZE) and the Polyanskiy brothers from Russia, Dmitry and Igor. They took advantage of a lack of cohesion from the chasers to move 45 seconds clear with just over 10 kilometres to ride but were then undone by a crash that put Igor out of the race and allowed the chasers to eat away at that margin over the closing laps, reducing it to 23 seconds as they entered transition for the second time, with Dodds in that main chase group and a further minute back to Sissons.

Brownlee ran brilliantly though in a start to finish win, maintaining his advantage over Mola and Gomez. Dodds posted a good 31:06 10 kilometre split for his run to move past many of those in the chase pack to finish 11th, only missing out on 7th place in the final 400m in a bunch finish.

ITU Gold Coast World Triathlon Series
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From left, Sarah True, Gwen Jorgensen, Katie Zaferes. Credit: Delly Carr/ITU