SILVER START
Birtwhistle snares our first medal
TASMANIAN triathlete Jake Birtwhistle thanked the Gold Coast crowd for braving a downpour and helping him storm home for a Commonwealth Games silver medal.
Birtwhistle, 23, became the first Aussie to win a medal at the Games after a stirring run leg saw him sweep past the star Brownlee brothers of England and fellow Aussie Matt Hauser in the final few kilometres.
He couldn’t haul in gold medallist Henri Schoeman but Launceston-raised Birtwhistle, who was a whopping 29 seconds behind coming off the bike, sizzled through the 5km run so fast he finished second by just seven seconds.
Hauser, also in his first Commonwealth Games, finished a credible fourth. Rio gold medallist and strong favourite Alistair Brownlee crossed in seventh place.
“I know I was closing in on him (Schoeman), for sure, but today, it just wasn’t quite enough,” Birtwhistle said.
“I didn’t know exactly how far we were down. I knew it was between the 20 and 30 second mark and to be honest, over 5km I didn’t think I would get that close.
“I am really happy to finish up with a silver today. It feels amazing.”
Birtwhistle was able to call on a background as a champion Australian junior middledistance runner to fly home, but he said the huge support of the home crowd was immensely valuable.
The fact they had braved a heavy downpour as the race was starting made that support all the more special, Birtwhistle said. Fans caught without cover were soaked.
“I was kind of on the start- line in the pouring rain and I thought they may all go home and watch it on TV,” Birtwhistle said.
“But I am glad we had a lot stay out because that support out there was amazing for an Aussie, chasing down (the leaders) and running on my way to the podium.
“It was amazing to have that there and gave me a real boost.”
With the Brownlee brothers out of sorts after injuries last year, South African champion Schoeman said his plan was to kick at the start of the run and go for it.
“You can never count them out,” Schoeman said.
“They’re phenomenal ath- letes, I have a lot of respect for them. That’s why off the bike I just went for it, try and make a bit of a gap and if they catch me it will be a good run race.
“I started growing the gap though and it was a great feeling.”
He could see Birtwhistle “coming in hot” in the final stages of the run but was too far ahead to be caught. After competing in the lead group for most of the race, Hauser was stoked to finish fourth in his first major competition.
“It’s bloody incredible – the support out there was amazing,” the 20-year-old said.
“When I saw Jake run past me I just thought ‘you little ripper mate, go get him’.”