Ten months after winning his first triathlon gold at the Tokyo Olympics, Norwegian Kristian Blumenfelt won the Ironman World Championships in St Petersburg for the first time this Saturday (7). In George, Utah, United States. 3,650 triathletes from 127 countries participated in the competition and US$750,000 was distributed among the top 15 male and female professionals.
The 28-year-old champion swimming 3,860m in 49m40s, cycling 180.25km in 4h18m43s and running 42.2km in 2h38m01s, covering a total of 7h49m16s.
The Norwegian is the first triathlete since Belgium’s Luc Van Leerde in 1996 to win an Ironman world title in his debut in the competition. His first distance race was six months ago, when he won the Ironman in Cozumel, Mexico with 7h21m12s. Fastest time ever. He surpassed German Jan Frodno’s record of 7h35m39, the first triathlete to win an Olympics in Beijing-2008 and the Ironman World Championships in 2015, repeating the feat in 2016 and 2019.
Kristian Blumenfeldt is interrupted by respiratory infection
“It was a tough day,” said Blumenfeldt, who upon arrival hugged his coach Olav Alexander Bu, passed out and was taken to the doctor’s department.
“Christian was not 100% ready for the test. He must have started at 90%. When I woke up this morning, I had no idea what to expect from him at Ironman,” said coach Boo Blumenfeldt and teammate Gustav Eden Referring to cold and respiratory infection, who did not even let go.
In second place was Canada’s Lionel Sanders, with 7h54m03s, 52m07s in the swim, 4h16m15s on the bike and 2h42m25s. In third place was New Zealand’s Brayden Curry, with 7h54m19s, 47m37s in the swim, 4h16m31s on the bike and 2h47m11s.
test with lots of heat and air
The tough course _ over 2,133m elevation on bike and 426m run _ and played in favor of Blumenfeldt on a hot and windy day. “I think the dynamics of the race were completely different than would be expected in a normal Ironman World Championship and that favored the champions,” Boo said.
“It was the weirdest race ever,” said Sanders, who overcame third-placed Brayden Curry after the final 400m sprint.
Switzerland is a five-time champion
If Kristian Blumenfelt won the Worlds for the first time, then in women, the victory went to a veteran of the world title. The 34-year-old Swiss Daniela Raif won her fifth Ironman title, clocking 8h34m59s, 54m42s in the swim, 4h37m47s on the bike and 2h59m36s in the running.
“I think I’m still doing well,” said the five-time champion, who is third among the greatest Ironman World Cup winners, behind American Paula Newby-Fraser with eight titles, and fellow countryman Paula Newby-Fraser. Woman Natasha Badman with six.
Her last Ironman World Championship win was in 2018, when she broke the course record by 20 minutes, despite being bitten by a jellyfish in both of her armpits in her opening swim.
In second place was Britain’s Kat Matthews, with 8h43m49s (54m48s on swimming, 4h44m41s on bike and 3h00m57s in running), German Anne Haug, with 8h47m03s (54m47 on swimming, 4h52m54s on bike and 2h56m00s in running) . ,
First world away from Konas
The Ironman Worlds were held outside Hawaii for the first time since its creation in 1978. The coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement of the event to 2020 and 2021. Last year, the Worlds were moved to St. Petersburg. George, who also hosted the 2021 Ironman Worlds 70.3. The Worlds returns to Kailua-Kona for a new two-day race format, on 6 October for the women and on 8 October for the men. (Yuri Toti)
