BRENDAN SEXTON DOMINATES DOWN IN MONTERREY
TRIATHLON, May 9: Triathlon Australia's rising star Brendan Sexton has broken through for a maiden ITU World Cup victory in Monterrey, northern Mexico today as he continues to mount a serious claim for a place in next year's London Olympic Games.
The 25-year-old Melbourne-based, Maitland triathlete ran away from the field late in the run leg to continue his impressive start to 2011, which saw him finish fourth in the opening ITU World Championship round in Sydney last month.
Sexton overcame energy-sapping heat wave conditions, a rough-house swim and some classy opposition to work his way through the field for his first major international win.
It is a firm message to the Australian selectors and to his two main Australian combatants, 2008 Olympians Brad Kahlefeldt and Courtney Atkinson that he too is a serious contender for a place in the 2012 Olympic team.
The brilliant runner left behind three-time European champion Frederic Belaubre of France, who was nine seconds adrift in second place and the USA's well credentialed Hunter Kemper, a gold medallist in the previous World Cup in Ishigaki three weeks ago, who was 15 seconds behind in third.
But the only thing on his mind as he set off on the 10 kilometre run leg was winning.
"The selectors know that I've got talent and that I've got the ambition to do well but they want to see athletes who can win races rather than (just) do well so hopefully I've proved a point that when it comes to the crunch that I can actually cross the line first," said Sexton.
But he did not get things all his own way as the 76-strong field battled their way through what was an unique 1.5 kilometre swim leg through a canal, which was a helter-skelter "anything goes" swim.
"It's a unique swim that‘s for sure. It's definitely something I don't want to have to do in a hurry again," said Sexton.
"I'm not good in a rough swim so I got knocked around a bit. There was quite a lot of current because the canal was so narrow.
"You just sort of got washed along so once you got yourself in position you just stayed there. It wasn't too bad but I could have got a better start."
Sexton then mounted his attack through the 40kilometre bike, knowing he had his trump card, a punishing 10km run, to finish.
A group of approximately 60 athletes came together in the big lead pack on the first lap of the 40km bike course.
A significant group of 66 athletes then rolled into the second transition. It didn't take long for the contenders vying for the podium to be gradually narrowed down with the hot conditions taking its toll.
Sexton, Kemper, Belaubre and team mate Vincent Luis, Matt Chrabot and Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) and Ruedi Wild (SUI) stayed together until the halfway point of the 10km run.
On the third lap of four, Sexton finally made his move and broke away, building a lead with Belaubre and Wild in hot pursuit.
In the final lap, Sexton was strong enough to enjoy the final stretch, taking in the cheers from local crowds, while Belaubre secured second place, Kemper caught Wild in the last 400m for the final spot on the podium.
Australia's Peter Kerr put in a brave effort to finish 21st in a field that saw 11 athletes, including 2004 Olympic silver medallist, Bevan Docherty, fail to finish.
In the elite women's race, Australia's world under 23 champion Emma Jackson was the best of the Aussies, finishing 15th in a race won by the USA's Sarah Haskins, who used a breakaway on the bike to also score her first career ITU Triathlon World Cup title.
Japan's Ai Ueda claimed silver for the second straight year. Anne Haug of Germany came in third, the best World Cup result of her career.
The next round of the 2011 ITU Triathlon World Cup series will be in Edmonton, Canada on July 10. The next Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series event will be in Madrid on June 4-5.
LISTEN TO BRENDAN SEXTON'S MIXED ZONE INTERVIEW
{audio}/images/stories/news-articles/audio/brendan sexton interview wins monterrey.mp3{/audio}
2011 Monterrey ITU Triathlon World Cup
Monterrey, Mexico - 8 May 2011
1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run
Elite Men Results:
1. Brendan Sexton (AUS) 1:46:56
2. Frederic Belaubre (FRA) 1:47:06
3. Hunter Kemper (USA) 1:47:11
4. Ruedi Wild (SUI) 1:47:20
5. Vincent Luis (FRA) 1:47:27
6. Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) 1:47:37
7. Danylo Sapunov (UKR) 1:47:39
8. Matt Chrabot (USA) 1:47:50
9. Carlos Javier Quinchara Forero (COL) 1:47:51
10. Tony Dodds (NZL) 1:47:52
Elite Women Results:
1. Sarah Haskins (USA) 1:57:15
2. Ai Ueda (JPN) 1:57:21
3. Anne Haug (GER) 1:57:27
4. Helle Frederiksen (DEN) 1:57:29
5. Gwen Jorgensen (USA) 1:57:33
6. Rachel Klamer (NED) 1:57:46
7. Kathy Tremblay (CAN) 1:57:51
8. Katrien Verstuyft (BEL) 1:57:56
9. Rebecca Robisch (GER) 1:57:58
10. Emmie Charayron (FRA) 1:58:00