Proving that she is also capable at dominating in a sprint, USA’s Gwen Jorgensen claimed victory at the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Hamburg on Saturday. With Great Britain’s Vicky Holland giving Jorgensen some pressured competition up until the last 500 metres, the 11-time WTS consectutive winner showcased her speed and pure talent by breaking away on the blue carpet to ultimately take home yet another gold.
“A lot was going through my head at the end, Vicky really pushed me. I could feel her right there on my shoulder, so I knew it was going to be a fight until the end,” said Jorgensen.
Holland, who earned the only other WTS title this season apart from Jorgensen in Cape Town, displayed a phenomenal performance on the day to finish with the silver medal. While compatriot Non Stanford pushed to join her on the podium, earning the bronze.
Among the large crowds, reaching to the thousands, and picture perfect skies, the women’s race started off with a no-wet suit swim. With only a one-lap 750 metre push in the water, Carolina Routier (ESP) and Margit Vanek (HUN) led strong through the first leg of the race and was able to create a small amount of distance as they exited the waters in the one and two position.
However, Jorgensen put herself in fighting position straight away on the one-lap swim proving more and more what a balanced triathlon she’s become this season. On the hip of the leaders Jorgensen came out in the top five, which set her up perfectly to join a 12 pack of women on the bike.
With six laps on the bike circuit, the leading dozen that included the likes of Holland, Jorgensen, Routier, Vanek, Sarah True (USA), Anja Knapp (GER), Gillian Backhouse (AUS), Sophie Coldwell (GBR), Rachel Klamer (NED), and Laura Lindemann (GER), Rebecca Clarke (NZL) and Anna Maria Mazzetti (ITA) flew through the bike course. They did not give up a second to slow even in transition with strong bikers like Andrea Hewitt (NZL) and Stanford pumping away in the chase.
But by the bell lap, the women successfully bridged up making it a 26-deep lead group. The move put a host of new women in contention for the podium.
Swift transitions from Klamer, Backhouse and Holland helped the trio blast out of T2, while Jorgensen trailed nine seconds after racking her bike to head out on the two-lap run.
Not having the pleasure of more time to space out the kicks, Holland, Stanford and True pushed forward as soon as foot hit the pavement. Staying steady and together for the first kilometre, it was only a matter of time before Jorgensen was able to catch the threesome and put herself in podium position.
After the first lap on the run, Jorgensen was able to make her move in an attempt to gain some distance heading into the finish, but Holland demonstrated incredible stamina as she was able to cling to Jorgensen up until the very end.
But as the amazing runner that she is, Jorgensen pulled away in the last 500 metres and was able to carry herself right into the finish line finishing with a time of 57:08.
The silver medal then was rightfully earned by Holland, who trailed just five seconds behind.
Holland said, “I thought I had a chance of getting closer maybe to catching Gwen than anyone else has done yet this year. I felt like I was working hard to keep up with her a couple times and I managed to cover those relatively easy, but for the last 500 metres I knew I was at my limit. Waiting for that last kick because I knew it was coming, I tried to push one last time, but she just had too much for me on the day.”
“I am really pleased that I had a great swim, came out front pack, worked hard on the bike and then had a good run so I think I had a good all around race today.”
The battle for bronze was not over however, as Stanford and True plugged away to take the last spot on the podium. Not wanting another majority for the U.S., Stanford used that for motivation and was able to kick ahead of True to seize the last medal.
Stanford said, “ We needed to get two British girls on the podium and that kind of gave me a little extra kick at the end because it has been far too long. So to share a podium with Vicky it is fantastic.”