Hometown hero targets Ironman 2024 title
Emotional Kyle Smith can’t wait for return to Taupō
The Kiwi duo of Kyle Smith and Hannah Berry repeated their success from 2019, when Ironman 70.3 Taupō was last held, to round out the year in style.
Kyle took the tape in 3 hours, 44 minutes and 30 seconds after a fierce battle with Australian Kurt McDonald. In a thrilling sprint finish, Kiwi Jack Moody surged past McDonald as the pair hit the red carpet of the Ironman 70.3 finish chute to secure second in 3:45:19 – just three seconds ahead of the gutsy McDonald.
Smith was emotional as he crossed the finish line to the cheers of his hometown crowd.
“That was incredible, to race here at home is a special feeling and to win here is just incredible. I owe the home crowd the win today, they are the ones that gave me the adrenaline to really attack and push all day. It’s incredible to get the win here again and I just love racing here, I can’t wait to race here again at the World Champs next year.
“When the race is so on the edge of your seat all day, and you don’t know whether you’re going to win and you have to really dig deep mentally and battle some demons almost, it doesn’t sink in until you come down the finish line and then all the emotion hits you ... so I got pretty emotional and winning here is just incredible.”
Smith was at the front of the race all day, exiting the swim in second just behind Spain’s Javier Gomez, and biking and running in the lead pack for the majority of the 113km race.
Smith and McDonald entered the
second transition together and ran side-by-side for 15km until the Kiwi put in a surge to pull away from McDonald over the final few kilometres.
“It was a tough one, kind of reminiscent to 2019 as well with Max Neumann, pretty much the exact same, we came off the bike and then with a few k’s to go I had to make that split. It was an incredible race,” Smith said.
“The crowd support was just insane, when I made my attack, I knew exactly where I was going to make it, I know this course like the back of my hand and as I made the attack
I ran through the Tri Sport Taupō juniors, saw the young kids all screaming my name and getting really hyped up and it just gave me goosebumps and that extra kick just to make that attack stick.”
Having already secured his 2024 Ironman 70.3 World Championship slot at Ironman 70.3 Ireland in August, Smith is looking ahead to next December with excitement and buoyed by his win today.
“It’s going to be incredible, I’ve put a big red circle around that date for next year, it’s going to be my number one goal for next year to try and be a World Champion here, it would just
be a dream. That’s going to be my project for the next 12 months.”
Hannah Berry’s win in the women’s race was in much the same vein as Smith’s in men’s race, with Berry in the front group out of the water and remaining there throughout the bike, before kicking early in the run to take the lead away from Dutch athlete Lotte Wilms and fellow Kiwi Rebecca Clarke.
Berry secured the win in 4:14:59, more than five minutes ahead of Wilms. Clarke rounded out the podium in 4:21:46.
“Feeling super stoked, it means a lot to come here to Taupō, a New
Zealand race at home, and take the win. Really happy with how my race went today, finally had a good run in an IRONMAN 70.3 again so just super stoked.
Berry had already secured her 2024 Ironman 70.3 World Championship slot prior to the race, with the win giving her confidence ahead of the race in Taupō in 12 months’ time.
“Worlds coming to New Zealand next year is going to be incredible, I can’t wait to be honest. I think we’re going to do a great job hosting the World Champs here and having a good race here this year just gives me confidence for that race next year.”