Flora Duffy and Henri Schoeman reaps gold in Triathlon at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018
World No.1 Duffy was in imperious form as she claimed her first Commonwealth Games gold medal, ahead of England’s Jessica Learmonth and Canada’s Joanna Brown in the Women’s Triathlon race.
It was Bermuda’s first women’s gold medal at a Commonwealth Games and propelled the country to the top of the leader board at the start of the Games. Duffy finished eighth in her previous Commonwealth Games appearances – Melbourne 2006 and Glasgow 2014 – while at an Olympic level she recorded a DNF (Beijing 2008), 45th (London 2012) and eighth (Rio 2016).
Duffy’s medal tally has just begun, as she will also compete in the mixed team relay at Southport Broadwater Parklands on 7th April and the women’s mountain bike at Nerang Mountain Bike Trails on 12th April.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s representative Serena Yang finished in twenty-fourth spot in her debut at the games.
Henri Schoeman claims men’s Triathlon gold in upset
In the men’s race, South Africa’s Henri Schoeman claimed gold at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Southport Broadwater Parklands.
In wet and stormy conditions, the 26-year-old broke away on the run leg to beat fast finishing Australian Jacob Birtwhistle, while Scotland’s Marc Austin claimed the bronze. It was South Africa’s first ever Triathlon gold medal at a Commonwealth Games.
It was a well thought out race from Schoeman, one of the favourites, who exited the swim in third place, three seconds behind two-time Olympic champion and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alistair Brownlee and New Zealand’s Tayler Reid. But it wasn’t long before the chasing pack caught up with the two leaders on the bike ride and it took a strong running effort from Schoeman, who finished fourth at Glasgow 2014.
It was not double Olympic Triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee’s day as he finished in tenth place, while younger brother Jonathan Brownlee finished seventh. Malaysia’s representative 17-year old Chong Xian Hao finished in thirtieth in his debut at the games.
Source: GC2018
