2021 European Triathlon Cup Coimbra: Green turns Gold in Portugal
British and Scottish triathlete Sophia Green waltzed to victory in the elite women’s European Triathlon Cup held in Coimbra, Portugal, on Saturday 12 June in a field brimming with Europe’s top women elite athletes to make her mark on the European circuit.
Within a short space of three weeks on the European Triathlon Cup circuit, Green has seen her performances take quantum leaps from sixth place at Olsztyn, Poland, to podium bronze at Dnipro, Ukraine, to top of the podium with Gold at Coimbra. Sophie who is frontrunner to secure qualification for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games for Team Scotland will be delighted with her current form ensuring the ‘selection radar’ is echoing loud and clear.
It was the strong swimming of Bianca Seregni (ITA) that led the swim pack out into T1 with Sophie Green (GBR) streamlining herself into 4th position. Out of T1 the front pack quickly formed for the bike leg and Sophie was not shirking her responsibility to push hard from the outset together with fellow team-mate Hollie Elliot (GBR) who was putting in a sterling performance.
Hear all about Sophia Green’s triathlon career on TriNation Podcast
As the front pack entered into T2 and out onto the final leg of the run Green (GBR) was in pole position with fellow countryman Elliot (GBR) together with a number of Spanish and Portuguese athletes. Into the half way mark of the run it was Green (GBR), Cecilia Santamaria (ESP), Melanie Santos (POR) and Maria Tome (POR) setting the pace and making the break from the chasing pack. Green’s tremendous consistency was the key to her stunning performance as she applied her high tempo pace throughout the run ever drawing her away from her competitors.
And it was Green (GBR) who was to run through to take the victory crossing through the Big Blue Finish Arc to take Gold and top podium spot in a time of 00:56:43. A further 14 seconds behind was Cecilia Santamaria (ESP) taking silver in 00:56:57 with Melanie Santos (POR)coming in to take 3rd place in 00:56:59. Hollie Elliot (GBR) will be well pleased with her magnificent performance coming in 7th place in a time 00:57:09.
