Jodie Stimpson started her 2017 season with a thrilling race to the line at the ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi. In the final few meters she looked to have secured gold, but a flying Andrea Hewitt (NZL) summoned a burst of energy to surge past her.
Stimpson has made significant changes since an Achilles injury abruptly ended her 2016 season. She’s now based in Loughborough and is being coached on a day-to-day basis by Adam Elliott. Getting a positive start so early in the season can only help her ITU world title and Commonwealth Games qualification aspirations.
If I’m going to lose to anyone, I’m glad it was Andrea today.
With a broad smile, Stimpson commented: “I’m just ecstatic that me and Andrea got on the podium because the amount of work we did all day… if I’m going to lose to anyone, I’m glad it was Andrea today.”
After overcoming a small deficit after the swim, Stimpson was incredibly strong on the bike. She added: “My coach will be extremely happy because he did say ‘if you’re behind after the swim, don’t try to catch it on the first lap, give yourself three’, so, Adam, there you go!”
Andrea Hewitt dedicated her performance to her late fiancé, Laurent Vidal, who died just over a year ago.
She said: “Laurent always told me I had everything, I had the dedication, I had the integrity, I had talent, but he told me one thing I was missing, which was emotion, and I now I have that. I was very close to winning races; I had a few seconds in the last years, but I was really happy today to get the win.”
Austria’s Sara Vilic had the race of her life to finish third having never previously been on an ITU World Triathlon Series podium. Britain’s India Lee began her season with a 16th place finish. She was around 46 seconds down after the swim, and rode well with the chasing cyclists, but was unable to catch the group of leaders.
The men’s race takes place tomorrow, featuring defending world champion, Mario Mola (ESP) and former world champion, Javier Gomez (ESP). Britain’s Marc Austin, Adam Bowden, Tom Bishop and Grant Sheldon line up alongside them at 11:55am UK time tomorrow (Saturday).
ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi; 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run; RESULTS:
1. Andrea Hewitt, NZL, 2:03:46
2. Jodie Stimpson, GBR, 2:03:46
3. Sara Vilic, AUT, 2:03:53
16. India Lee, GBR, 2:07:11
Full results: http://www.triathlon.org/results/result/2017_itu_world_triathlon_abu_dhabi/307159
