USA dominates 12th WUC Triathlon Podium

 

Swimming in the Paranoá Lake 

BRASILIA – The 12th 2014 Wold University Triathlon Championship ended this Sunday 20 April, in Brasília (DF). With five medals for Team USA, the Americans surely dominated the podium of this year’s edition.

Around 50 athletes from 12 countries (Australia, Brazil, United States, Slovakia, Great Britain, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Hungary, Switzerland, Turkey, Japan, and Czech Republic) completed the race, swimming in the Paranoá Lake, crossing the famous JK Bridge and racing the streets of Brazil’s capital.

With the sun shining during the whole event, with temperatures around 27º/29º C, Kevin McDowell (USA) won the men’s competition with a time of 2:03:38, followed by the Tomas Renc (CZE), with 2:04:00 and Chris Branden (USA), with 2:04:33.

Crossing the famous JK Bridge

Kevin McDowell was a silver medallist at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, held in Singapore. This is his first competition after successfully battling cancer.

“I am amazed for my return to the competition, after a long time away from it, because of health issues. My teammates gave me all the support to be here. This victory means a lot, more than the Olympic medal. This WUC medal marks a turning point in my career”, said Kevin.

In the Women’s competition Zsofia Kovacks (HUN) has participated for the last time in a WUC and says good bye to the University competition with a golden farewell. The athlete won the race with a time of 2:16:04. Heather Sellars (GBR) came in second, with 2:16:31 while Kaitlin Donner (USA) clocked 2:18:02 ranking third.

“This is my last World University Championship. I am really happy for saying good bye landing on the highest spot of the podium. This victory was won through challenged conditions, because of the exhausting heat during the race”, Zsofia said.

Wesley Matos, best Brazilian

Wesley Matos, original from Ceará (Northeast of Brazil) guaranteed the best Brazilian result between the Men and Women. The host athlete finished the race in fourth place, with a time of 2:05:24.

In the Team’s competition, the United States ruled the podium once more. The Americans won the women’s and men’s event. Great Britain finished in second in the women’s team competition, followed by Japan. While in the men’s team competition, the podium was completed by Czech Republic, in second and once again Japan in third.

The WUC in Brasilia was the first test event for the 2019 Summer Universiade. It was hosted during the city’s 54 years anniversary celebration. The next edition of the World University Triathlon Championship will take place in Nyon, Switzerland, in 2016.

 

Final Ranking

Individual Results

Men

1-Kevin McDowell (USA) 2:03:38

2-Tomas Renc (CZE) 2:04:00

3- Chris Braden (USA) 2:04:33

4- Wesley Matos (BRA) 2:05:24

5- Nathan Barry (AUS) 2:06:22

6- Jumpei Furuya (JPN) 2:08:24

7- Marcus Vinícius (BRA) 2:09:17

8- Lukas Kocar (CZE) 2:12:16

9- Brandon Nied  (USA) 2:12:29

10 – Luke Watson (GBR) 2:14:17

11- Ryan Bice (USA) 2:15:43

12- Petr Slajs  (CZE) 2:15:56

13- Samuel Wade (GBR) 2:17:20

14- Chou yen Lee (TPE) 2:19:08

15- Tomas Kabrhel  (CZE) 2:19:15

16- Ayumu Kobayashi (JPN) 2:19:16

17- HSU Pei-Yen (TPE) 2:22:08

18- Justin Jing Ming Kwan (SIN) 2:28:11

19- Calum Johson (GBR) 2:32:33

20- Yao Yu Tsai (JPN) 2:34:33

21- Issei Susuta  (JPN) 2:35:02

22- Kengo Inoue (JPN) 2:36:12

23-Jonathan Jin Sheng Tan (SIN) 2:40:38

24- Han Sing Jonathan (SIN) 2:45:08

 

Women

1-Zsofia Kovacs (HUN) 2:16:04

2-Heather Sellars (GBR) 2:16:31

3-Kaitlin Donner (USA) 2:18:02

4-Petra Kurikova (CZE) 2:18:39

5-Summer Cook (USA) 2:18:44

6- Barbora Hlavacova (CZE) 2:19:15

7- Yuko Takahashi (JPN) 2:19:30

8- Lucy Smith (GBR) 2:20:52

9- Michelle Mehnert (SUI) 2:23:37

10- Erin Dolan (USA) 2:21:50

11- Lisa Berger (SUI) 2:23:37

12- Luisa Baptista (BRA) 2:24:50

13- Eszter Dudas (HUN) 2:26:25

14-Nagiho Ishida (JPN) 2:26:49

15- Ivana Kuriackova (SVK) 2:27:09

16- Michelle Derron (SUI) 2:27:25

17- Barbora Listopadova (SVK) 2:31:28

18- Jenny Manners (GBR) 2:32:03

19- Kei Fukuda (JPN) 2:34:06

20- Ece Bakici (TUR) 2:38:42

21- Aiko Matsueda (JPN) 2:44:33

22- Yi Hui Liu (TPE) 2:55:54

 

Teams Results

Women

1- USA                                                                 

2- GBR                                                  ;             

3- JPN                                                                

Men

1- USA                                    ;                             

2- CZE                              ;                                   

3 – JPN  

 

(Source: Everton Melo, CBDU Press Officer)