LIONEL SANDERS

SPEAKING TO TRIATHLON TODAY

Every day is tough on this course, but this one was really tough. Obviously the competition makes it really tough. I swam like absolute garbage and you can’t swim like garbage against these guys – a guy like Gustav, who’s an excellent bike/runner.

It’s OK. I wanted to come here to know where I stand – I know where I stand. I’ve got my run and my bike back to a good level, I’ve got to get my swim to a good level.

I knew I was strong. I put the swim on the back burner intentionally because, in Kona last year, I had my best swim and I had a horrible bike and a run. I at least have to get my bike and my run back to where it needs to be. I need to get my swim back, a lot better than where it is.

There was a lot of tension today. You’re going up against the best guys in the world. I think the long course guys proved that we’re not that bad, but I’m pretty shit at swimming – I have to improve that.

I’m disappointed with the swim, to be honest. The first half of the run was poor – I did the nutrition poor, and then I started hitting the cola hard. I think I ran the second two laps faster than the first two laps. So I wish I could have run the first two laps a little better, but I closed well, and that’s the mark of a decent pace.