Hong Kong put on quite the show at the weekend as it hosted a World Triathlon Cup for the first time. Alberto Gonzalez Garcia (ESP) and Sian Rainsley (GBR) came out on top with virtuoso performances after both made the front pack breakaway and then out-duelled some formidable rivals on the run.
In addition to the action itself, the outcomes in Hong Kong have shaken up the Olympic Qualification rankings. Read on to find out the latest risers on the road to Paris.
The Men’s Olympic Rankings
As was the case at the first World Cup of the year in Napier, Gonzalez made one of the most significant jumps in the rankings. He upgraded his bronze medal in New Zealand to gold and thus climbed eight spots in the rankings. The Spanish athlete now finds himself in 28th place overall. Crucially, he is now the third highest ranked man from his country and he has certainly put himself in the frame for Olympic selection.
Gonzalez’s presence in the top-30 helps Spain towards its ambition of qualifying three men to Paris. The men’s silver medallist in Hong Kong, Antonio Serrat Seoane, has already qualified for the Spanish Olympic team and is the highest ranked Spanish man. He rose one place to 13th after his Hong Kong performance. Meanwhile, Roberto Sanchez Mantecon has maintained his spot in 20th place.
Furthermore, another Spanish athlete moved closer to the top-30 as David Castro Fajardo’s 11th place pushed him up four places to 31st overall. Castro will look to usurp Gonzalez over the coming races and their internal race to Paris will likely form a fascinating sub-plot going forwards.
Luke Willian (AUS) cruised into 45th in the rankings after claiming an outstanding 4th place in Hong Kong. With only Matthew Hauser currently selected on the Australian Olympic triathlon team, Willian will hope his rise continues as he seeks to press his Paris case.
Elsewhere, Emil Holm (DEN) may have likewise taken a step closer to qualifying for the Olympic Games. He finished 13th in Hong Kong and as a result moved up four places in the rankings to 72nd. At this point in time, that looks like it could be enough to make it to Paris should Holm hold his position.
The Women’s Olympic Rankings
Perhaps the most noteworthy rise in the women’s Olympic Qualification rankings came from Elizabeth Bravo (ECU). She finished 4th in Hong Kong after reeling off a scintillating 5km run to slice through the field; her showing saw her gain eight places in the rankings. Now, the athlete from Ecuador stands in 48th place overall and seems a near-lock to qualify for Paris.
The women’s race winner, Rainsley, made one of the biggest raw improvements with regards to the Olympic rankings. Her win propelled her up twenty places to 86th. While it will have no real impact on Britain’s goal of qualifying three women to Paris, which is already essentially assured, the rise represented just desserts for a sterling display.
One move that deserves plenty of consideration is that of Zuzana Michalickova (SVK). The promising young star placed 8th in Hong Kong, thereby gaining eight spots in the Olympic rankings. She now finds herself ranked 68th and is ever so close to earning Olympic qualification. While the status quo will likely evolve over the coming weeks, a spot in the top-65 may just be enough for qualification. Michalickova, then, is extremely close to nailing down her ticket to Paris.
Finally, the performances of Ilaria Zane (ITA) once again warrant attention. As was the case after an impressive showing in Napier, her performance in Hong Kong saw her climb in the Olympic rankings. Her 5th place finish in the latter was an improvement of one place from that in the former. She therefore climbed two places in the Olympic rankings to 32nd overall.
With Verena Steinhauser and Bianca Seregni nestled inside the top-30, Zane’s form will likely determine whether three Italian women qualify for Paris. Based on her start to the season, few will bet against her rising further still.
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