Jonathan Brownlee recovered from heat stroke to win silver at the Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town. Spaniard, Fernando Alarza said he had the ‘best race of my life’ to take his first ever Series gold.
Brownlee was overtaken by Alarza in the closing stages of the race on the Gold Coast two weeks ago as he weaved down the finishing straight suffering with heat stroke. Not fully recovered, he was happy with silver today.
He said: “The last two weeks I’ve felt terrible since Gold Coast. I wasn’t even sure if I was going to start today, I felt so bad.”
Knowing his run speed might not be there, Brownlee worked hard in the earlier sections to establish a lead, he said: “I knew I had to commit everything on the swim and bike, and try and keep the fast runners behind. Me and Dorian (Coninx) really drove the bike, he was strong as an ox.”
Reflecting on the result, he added: “Second; it’s not a victory but from where I was two weeks ago it feels it’s a big improvement.”
Adam Bowden finished 16th. Earlier today Non Stanford won the women’s race, with Jodie Stimpson in the silver medal winning position.
The next round of the ITU World Triathlon Series takes place in Yokohama on 14-15th May and then the world’s best triathletes will head to Yorkshire for the Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds on 12th June.
Results: Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run:
1. Fernando Alarza, ESP, 54:12
2. Jonathan Brownlee, GBR, 54:17
3. Dorian Coninx, FRA, 54:23
16. Adam Bowden, GBR, 55:06
