Africa Triathlon

A world junior champion, world duathlon champion, world aquathlon champion and now world triathlon champion.  British Athlete Tim Don has broken through for his first senior ITU world title on the same course he won his junior world crown on in 1998. 

Watch highlights from the elite men’s race.

Battling heat and the one of the hottest fields in the eighteen year history of the world championships, Don unleashed the fastest run of the day to beat Athens Olympic gold medallist Hamish Carter from New Zealand for the win.  Frenchman Frederic Belaubre won the bronze medal. 

World Champion. Can you believe it!, exclaimed Don.  I have a good formula for success and that is consistent training. This race was won in training rather than out there today.

Don set up his victory when he broke away with a group of nine other athletes, the majority who were European.  The ten men worked well together to open up a significant gap on the rest of the field going into the final 10 kilometre run.

There was a break on he bike ad I didnt go with it, said Don.  So I jumped across on my own and sat in for a couple of k and then said Come on boys, this is it, this is how you get on the podium.

Once on the scenic run course through the beautiful Swiss town of Lausanne, Don came into his own.

The Englishman managed to shrug off most of his rivals early in the leg before a powerful surge late in the race gave him his winning gap on Carter.

On the third lap I felt good so I came through and thought I should take my turn, explained Don.  I could see there was a meter gap so I just eased away and then the gap grew. You take five meters on an Olympic Champion and he doesnt give it up easily so I had to put my head down for the last five kilometres.

In a day of major upsets, Athens Olympic silver medallist Bevan Docherty from New Zealand and Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medallist Simon Whitfield from Canada were both high-profile retirements.  Also joining them on the sideline was world cup leader and the number one ranked man in the world Brad Kahlefeldt, who suffered cramps in the bike leg which forced him to withdraw on the run. 

Dons 2006 World Championships win also deprived Australian Peter Robertson, who finished sixth with the second fastest run, from matching the great UK athlete Simon Lessings record of four world titles.

Carters silver medal was a fitting close to an outstanding career as he announced his retirement from the sport stating he, will not compete in another world championships.

This is going to be my last World Champs but perhaps not my last race, stated Carter.  There are just so many guys willing to do anything to get to the front and youve got to be so hungry and have so much drive and sometimes if you just cant do that youve just got to step aside.

The last two weeks Ive struggled with motivation and getting myself up for this race. I was hoping that I wouldnt go out on my last Worlds on a floppy race but I felt strong, continued Carter.  I am really pleased. 

The closure of this legendary career was marked with the beginning of another as young Belaubre captured is first world championship medal.

The run was very fast when I went out with Hamish [Carter], said Belaubre.  I wanted to make the first five kilometres with them but it was impossible. I lost them after the first half but I think that I had a good race and am delighted with my position.

Click here for official results.

Click here for official photo gallery from Lausanne.

Watch highlights from the 2006 Lausanne ITU World Championships so far.

Download this video to watch it on your computer or iPod.

2006 ITU Triathlon World Championships Elite Men
1. DON, Tim (GBR)   1:51:32
2. CARTER, Hamish (NZL)  1:51:49
3. BELAUBRE, Frederic (FRA) 1:52:12
4. GEMMELL, Kris (NZL)   1:53:01
5. POLIKARPENKO, Volodymyr (UKR) 1:53:04
6. REOBERTSON, Peter (AUS)  1:53:06
7. KEMPER, Hunter (USA)   1:53:07
8. UNGER, Daniel (GER)   1:53:11
9. JOHNS, Andrew (GBR)   1:53:20
10. GOMEZ, Javier (ESP)   1:53:27

Campen mundial jnior, campen del mundo de duatln, campen del mundo de acuatln y ahora campen del mundo de triatln. El triatleta britnico Tim Don ha conquistado su primer ttulo elite en el mismo circuito donde logr la corona jnior en 1998.

Mira los mejores momentos de la prueba elite masculina.

Luchando contra el calor y contra uno de los circuitos ms complicados en los dieciocho aos de historia de los Campeonatos del Mundo, Don logr el mejor parcial en carrera a pie para derrotar al campen olmpico en Atenas Hamish Carter (Nueva Zelanda) y vencer. El francs Frdric Belaubre consigui la medalla de bronce.

Campen del mundo. Te lo puedes creer!, exclamaba Don. Tengo una buena frmula para el xito y consiste en un entrenamiento constante. Esta carrera la he ganado entrenando ms que compitiendo hoy.

Don model su victoria cuando se escap con otros nueve compaeros, la mayora europeos. Los diez hombres trabajaron bien juntos para abrir una brecha importante sobre el resto de participantes antes de los 10 kilmetros de carrera a pie.

Hubo un parn en el segmento de ciclismo y no quera ir as, dijo Don. As que salt y me sent durante un par de kilmetros y luego dije Vamos, chavales, ahora, as es como se llega al podio.

Una vez que se inici la carrera a pie en la bella ciudad suiza de Lausana, Don se movi como pez en el agua.

El ingls se las ingeni para dejar a la mayora de sus rivales antes de dar el zarpazo definitivo que descolg a Carter.

En la tercera vuelta me encontr bien, as que fui y pens que era mi turno, explic Don. Vi que llevaba un metro de ventaja, as que apret y la diferencia aument. Sacas cinco metros a un campen olmpico y no se rinde fcilmente, as que me mantuve concentrado en los ltimos cinco kilmetros.

En un da de grandes decepciones, el neozelands Bevan Docherty, subcampen olmpico en Atenas, y el canadiense Simon Whitfield, medalla de oro en Sydney 2000, protagonizaron dos ilustres abandonos. Lo mismo le ocurri a Brad Kahlefeldt, lder de la Copa del Mundo y nmero uno del mundo, que sufri calambres en una pierna en ciclismo que le obligaron a abandonar en carrera a pie.

El triunfo de Don priv al australiano Peter Robertson, que acab sexto con el segundo mejor parcial en carrera a pie, de igualar el rcord del britnico Simon Lessing (cuatro ttulos).

La medalla de plata de Carter fue un broche de oro a su carrera, ya que anunci su retirada del deporte de elite al manifestar que no competir en ningn otro Campeonato del Mundo.

ste va a ser mi ltimo Mundial pero quizs no sea mi ltima carrera, anunci Carter. Hay tantos chavales que estn dispuestos a hacer cualquier cosa para estar arriba y tienes que estar tan hambriento y estar tan centrado y a veces si no puedes hacer eso no puedes ser competitivo.

Las dos ltimas semanas he tratado de estar motivado y estar preparado para esta carrera. Crea que no iba a poder con mi ltimo Mundial en un circuito rompepiernas pero me sent fuerte, continu Carter. Estoy muy satisfecho.

El final de esta legendaria carrera coincidi con el comienzo de otra, ya que el joven Belaubre logr su primera medalla mundialista.

La carrera iba muy rpida cuando me fui con Hamish Carter, dijo Belaubre. Quera hacer los primeros cinco kilmetros de carrera a pie con ellos pero fue imposible. Los perd tras la primera mitad pero creo que hice una buena carrera y estoy contento con mi puesto.