Two Olympian triathletes and a young British Olympic hopeful take the podiums in Florida
Two established Olympian triathletes and a young British Olympic hopeful took the podiums at the 2022 Americas Triathlon Mens Elite Cup in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida.
South African Olympian Richard Murray was back to winning ways this week-end. In his first race back with an international American Cup field, Murray took the victory in the elite super-sprint race in a time of 00:29:14. In a very tight race, Murray just fended off last year’s winner American Olympian Kevin McDowell who was back on the circuit testing his metal following his successful outing at the Tokyo Olympics where he won a silver medal in the mixed replay and 6th in the individual event.
In third place was a young British Olympic hopeful Dan ‘The Man’ Dixon who raced side by side with the Olympians and was just a mere 9 seconds behind the winner. A terrific result for the young 19-year-old who is showing he is becoming ‘The Man” to take on the world best international elite men. Dixon was capping back-to-back weekends of season-opening elite races in Florida and last week dispatched the best young talent the Americas could muster against him, winning the Clermont Draft-Legal Challenge.
The men’s elite sprint race turned into a super-sprint due to unfavourable weather conditions and saw Dixon lead the way out of the water after the 375 m swim in 00:4:36 with McDowell and Murray behind him with a group of about 8 staying close together out of the water and throughout the 12.2 km bike. That meant the race turned into a 2.5 km footrace, which was dominated by Murray and McDowell’s with Dixon pursuing, always in sight of the two leaders. As Murray and McDowell hit the blue carpet together it was Murray who had enough fuel in the tank just to edge out McDowell to take the winning tape. Dixon fended off the chasing pack to take home a worthy bronze to add to his gold from last week.
The women’s race was dominated by 5 athletes each vying for a podium spot. Exiting the water first were Viittoria Lopes (BRA) and Kirsten Kasper (USA) who both led the way to T1. Much like the men’s race, a small group formed on the bike with Emily Legault (CAN) and the Dutch pair of Rachel Klamer and Barbara de Koning joining the two leaders to form the front pack. This front pack of 5 stayed together and keep the chasing pack at bay as they headed into T2. It was now a 2.5k footrace between the 5 athletes .
And it was the American Kirsten Kasper who had the running legs on the day, crossing the line in a time of 00:32:47 to take gold, three seconds ahead of the Canadian Legault who took sliver with Netherlands Rachel Klamer (Richard Murrays wife) taking home the bronze. Coming home fourth and just missing out on the medals was the young Dutch starlet de Koning, who was victorious in last weeks Clermont Draft-Legal Challenge, with the lead swimmer Brazilian Lopes taking 5th place.
The winner Kasper is no new comer to the triathlon scene having already won 10 World Triathlon Cup medals in her career. In 2021 she was a member of the winning mixed relay team at the Groupe Copley World Triathlon Championship Series alongside team members Taylor Spivey, Chase McQueen and Seth Rider. The 30-year-old American had a top-ten finish at the 2021 World Championship Series Finals in Edmonton, Canada and finished seventh at the 2021 World Triathlon Series Hamburg and earned her first points towards the 2022 WTCS rankings.
Top 3 Elite Men
1. Richard Murray (NL) 29:14.
2.Kevin McDowell (USA), 29:15.
3,Daniel Dixon (GB) 29:23
Top 3 Elite Women
1. Kristen Kaper (USA) 32:47.
2.Emily Legault (CAN), 32:50.
3.Rachel Klamer (NED), 32:55
