Storming Win for Beth Potter in 2022 European Cup Quarteira
Beth Potter (GB) wins the 2022 European Cup storming season opener in Quarteira, Portugal.
Beth Potter triumphantly began her 2022 triathlon season in Portugal off the back of a successful 2021 season which included back-to-back World Triathlon Cup wins in South Korea last October and two seventh place finishes at World Triathlon Championship Series events, including the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
A stellar group of top women elite triathletes lined up at the start line that included the likes of American Summer Rappaport 14th in Tokyo Olympic Games, Barbara de Koning of the Netherlands with German Lisa Tertsch and Britain’s Sophie Alden, who was fourth at last season’s final Europe Triathlon Cup race in Barcelona,
It was Alden (GB) who led the way on the transition from the 1500m swim to the 40km cycle, with a tight group of another 12 athletes making up the front pack that included Potter, Rappaport, Tertsch and de Koning.
Beth Potter Chats to the TriNation Podcast Team
Plenty for the home crowd to cheer on as three Portuguese athletes in Maria Tomé Melanie Santos and Helena Carvalho were holding their own in the front pack.
This front pack lead all the way into T2 with France’s Emma Lombardi taking the early lead but it was not long before Potter was on her shoulder pacing herself perfectly and at that point you just knew she was on a mission. Lombardi was not going to let Potter have it all her own way and keep on Potters heels as the two pulled away from the rest of the chasing group.
Meanwhile while Potter and Lombardi were battling it out the German running machine Tertsch was picking off the chasing pack and moving her way to third place with the two front runners in her sights
At the 7km mark of the 10k run Potter made her move upping the pace that Lombardi could not keep up with. Potter’s style was so easy, every pace seemed to propel her forwards, but both Lombardi and Tersch dug deep to try and keep the Brit in their sights.
The final 1km saw the run power of Potter settled the score as she smiled all the way down the blue carpet. After a consistent performance from beginning to end, Great Britain’s excellent runner Beth Potter took the victory and gold.
Behind her second and third place ended up with Lombardi taking Sliver with Tertsch taking bronze just from the late charge from home athlete Maria Tomé who came in fourth.
Triathlete Beth Potter will represent Scotland at a 2022 Commonwealth Games after being selected as part of the contingent for Birmingham next summer. Potter competed in triathlon and the 10,000m in the Gold Coast in 2018, and has now made the switch to the former.
Beth is clearly an athlete in form and having recently been announced on the UK Sport Lottery Funded World Class Performance Programme for 2022 her sights will be firmly on taking home a gold for Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games, while also being aware that a good showing at the 2022 Games will put her on the selection radar for a GB spot at the Paris Olympic 2024.
