The ITU World Triathlon Championships take place in Cozumel, Mexico starting today, 15 September. This weekend’s senior races feature all three of Britain’s Olympic medal winners, Alistair Brownlee, Jonathan Brownlee and Vicky Holland.
Alistair Brownlee has already won a world title since arriving in Mexico via the Beijing International triathlon, which he won on Sunday. Yesterday he won the Aquathlon title, which involves a run followed by a swim, followed by another run.
However, it is Jonathan Brownlee, who has the best opportunity to win a triathlon world title based on his second place standing in the ITU World Triathlon Series rankings. Spain’s Mario Mola is leading and favourite to win, but it’s not completely against the odds that Brownlee could upset the form, especially if Alistair is able to assist tactically.
If Jonathan can win Sunday’s race, he relies on Mola finishing fourth or lower in order to win the title. Brownlee insists that he has already achieved his goal for the season in having won Olympic silver in Rio, however, the world title would be a significant bonus.
Having competed in only three of the required five rounds of the Series, Alistair Brownlee is out of the running for the title. Adam Bowden is on track to achieve his highest ever Series finish, currently lying in sixth place overall.
Olympians Non Stanford and Vicky Holland are unlikely to challenge for the world title, having not completed enough races in the build up to this final. However, they will want to finish as high up as they can in the final race of the Series.
If Helen Jenkins finds her early season form and has recovered from a bug in Rio, she could also challenge for a top spot. Unfortunately Jodie Stimpson, who had the best opportunity to aim for the world title, has withdrawn with an Achilles tear.
Britain has very strong chances across the junior and under 23 races as well, with Grant Sheldon having finished fourth in the penultimate round of the Series in Edmonton against senior opponents and having won the FISU World University Triathlon Championships last month. Olympian Gordon Benson joins him along with Leeds University’s Calum Johnson tonight UK time.
The women’s U23 race is tomorrow and features two former world championship medal winners, Georgia Taylor Brown and Sophie Coldwell. In the junior events some of Britain’s most talented juniors for many years will line up hoping to beat their competitors as well as Mexico’s intense heat.
In addition to the elite races, 424 British amateur athletes will compete for world titles in their respective age categories in the Age-Group events over standard and sprint distance.
ELITE RACE SCHEDULE
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15
10:30pm: U23 Men World Championship: Benson, Johnson, Sheldon, Kershaw: RESULTS
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16
1:30pm: U23 Women World Championship: Taylor-Brown, Coldwell
9:30pm: Junior Men World Championship: Dijkstra, Dickinson, Yee
11:30pm: Junior Women World Championship: Rainsley, Waugh, Mathias
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17
3:00pm: U23/Junior Mixed Relay World Championship
10:30pm: Elite Women Grand Final: Hall, Holland, Jenkins, Learmonth, Stanford
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18
10:30pm: Elite Men World Grand Final: A Brownlee, J Brownlee, Bowden, Bishop
ATHLETES
Men’s U23
Gordon Benson, 22, Leeds
Calum Johnson, 22, from Gateshead, trains Leeds
Grant Sheldon, 22, Stirling
Jimmy Kershaw, 22, Shropshire
Women’s U23
Sophie Coldwell, 21, from Nottingham, trains Loughborough
Georgia Taylor-Brown, 22, from Manchester, trains Leeds
Men’s Junior
Samuel Dickinson, 19, Leeds
Ben Dijkstra, 17, Loughborough
Alex Yee, 18, London
Women’s Junior
Olivia Mathias, 17, Newark
Sian Rainsley, 19, from Coventry, trains Leeds
Kate Waugh, 17, Birtley, North East
Senior Women
Lucy Hall, 24, from Lutterworth, trains Leeds
Vicky Holland, 30, from Gloucester, trains Leeds
Helen Jenkins, 32, Bridgend
Jessica Learmonth, 28, Leeds
Non Stanford, 27, from Swansea, trains Leeds
Senior Men
Tom Bishop, 25, from Derby, trains Leeds
Adam Bowden, 34, from Watford, trains Loughborough
Alistair Brownlee, 28, Leeds
Jonathan Brownlee, 26, Leeds
HOW TO WATCH
Women’s elite race LIVE: 10:30pm BBC Red Button
Women’s elite race highlights: 2:30pm BBC2
Men’s elite race LIVE: 10:30pm BBC Red Button
Men’s elite race highlights: 1:45pm BBC2
Image credit: Wagner Araujo
