Birtwhistle’s finishing burst produces silver
TASMANIAN Jake Birtwhistle’s standing as one of the next big things in world triathlon has been enhanced after he claimed back-to-back silver medals at the World Triathlon Series race in Hamburg.
The 2015 under-23 world champion produced a stunning kick in the dying stages to surge past Spanish five-time world champion Javier Gomez and New Zealand’s Ryan Sissons in the closing stages.
The 22-year-old’s race appeared over when he dropped to fifth after sitting in second place in the early stages of a 5km run dominated by eventual winner, world champion Mario Mola of Spain. But with the finish line in his sights he found another gear and charged past South African Richard Murray and veteran Gomez before claiming Sissons.
“Since my days as a track and field athlete before I became a triathlete I’ve always had that little something extra at the end,” said Birtwhistle, who had already claimed Australia’s first automatic nomination for next year’s Commonwealth Games with his top-10 finish on the Gold Coast in April.
“I’m rather happy I am able to call on it when I need it. I’m pretty happy with the race as a whole, I was comfortably up towards the front out of the water and played my cards right on the run.
“I took some chances but it all ended up in a big bunch. I pushed the pace early in the run but found myself dropping back in the middle stages. I was in top gear for as long as I could be over the last kilometre. It certainly wasn’t my plan to come from so far back but it’s times like that I’m thankful to know I have that extra gear.”
A second Games place was up for grabs in Hamburg for a top 10 placegetter, but Australia’s next best finisher was Matthew Hauser in 20th.
In the women’s race, Rio Olympian Ashleigh Gentle enjoyed the fastest run time of the day to finish behind Bermuda’s Flora Duffy.
Gentle will be joined by training partner Charlotte McShane on the Australian Commonwealth Games team after she hung on for an eighth-place finish to fulfil the Triathlon Australia automatic selection nomination with a top-10 finish.