Anything can still happen, says Ash
ASHLEIGH Gentle says anything is possible as she looks to beat the odds and claim her first triathlon world title.
Gentle will go into the World Triathlon Series grand final in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on September 16 ranked second behind Bermuda’s Flora Duffy following a thirdplace finish at Stockholm on Saturday.
Gentle will need to win in Rotterdam and have Duffy finish eighth or worse in order for the Gold Coast triathlete to win the series.
It seems unlikely given Duffy has five wins and a second-place finish from her six races this season.
Gentle said she won’t give up as she turns her attention to what could be the biggest race of her career.
“To be truthful I’ve never been in this position before … but Flora is racing so well,” Gentle said.
“I guess you can’t predict what is going to happen and I’ll just try to do the best I can.”
The top three ranked women in the series all hail from Commonwealth Games nations including Duffy, Gentle and New Zealand’s Andrea Hewitt.
It could be a major preview to next year’s 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Gentle was coming into the race on the back of her first WTS race win in Montreal but a poor swim had her chasing from the outset.
The 26-year-old bounced
back to put the fastest 10km run split time of 33 minutes 27 seconds and claim third place behind race winner Duffy and Great Britain’s Jessica Learmonth.
“It is hard to get back once there’s a split but it is something I’ll have to reflect on and make sure I get (right) for the (WTS grand final) in Rotterdam,” Gentle said.
“There was only two of us really doing any work on the bike and to be truthful I didn’t think I would be standing here (in third place), there were times when I didn’t give myself a chance.”
Fellow Gold Coaster Brandon Copeland had a disappointing end to his WTS debut after being forced out of the race due to a flat tyre.