Africa Triathlon

German athlete Jan Frodeno unleashed a brilliantly timed sprint to take the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games gold medal in a time of 1:48:53 only 50 metres from the line.

Previously this year I have lost all my races very closely in sprints, Frodeno said of his dramatic turnaround in sprinting form. And one thing that does is that it teaches you a lesson. So I learnt it for the right time I guess.

Frodenos sprint in the stifling conditions was too hot for Canadian Simon Whitfield who claimed the silver medal five seconds behind, and New Zealands Bevan Docherty who took the bronze medal 12 seconds back.

Pre-race favourite and form athlete of the last two years Spaniard Javier Gomez just fell short of the medals finishing in fourth 20 seconds behind the German.

The Race

Shane Reed (New Zealand) and Alexander Brukhankov (Russia) led each of the two packs in the first stages of the swim at the Ming Tomb Reservoir swim course. These packs combined about 300 metres into the swim to form one large group and Reed controlled the pace from then on.

The Kiwi exited the water first in the swift time of 18 minutes flat, followed closely by Igor Sysoev (Russia), Frederic Belaubre (France), Hunter Kemper (USA) and Hirokatsu Tayama (Japan). After that is was a cast of thousands, as athletes streamed into transition.

A giant lead pack formed on the first lap of the bike with all the main players safely contained within it. Notable exceptions, however, where: Reto Hug and Olivier Marceau (Switzerland), Will Clarke and Tim Don (Great Britain).

Don was obviously not his usual self, falling off this small pack of chasing athletes. He rode the remaining bike leg alone. Marceau was not having any part of this second group and went on a solo bid for the leaders.

Up front Belaubre and Alistair Brownlee (Great Britain) initiated attacks in the early stages of the bike to no avail. Everyone was too attentive, especially Colin Jenkins (Canada) whose job it was to ride for Whitfield.

By lap two Marceau had bridged the gap to the leaders. The pack he left was not too far behind, and when this happened, the front pack contained the vast majority of the field. This took some of the pace out of the race.

The next lap opportunists Francisco Serrano (Mexico), Dirk Bockel (Luxemburg) and Axel Zeebroek (Belgium) created a gap which the main field did not respond to. Going into the last lap the group had 48 seconds on the main field.

Serrano dropped off this pack shortly after which made the leaders a group of two.
Coming into the bike/run transition the two touched hands and wished each other the best for the run. They had managed to accrue 53 seconds, but as poorer runners they would find it difficult to hold off the best runners.
Brownlee took the main field out on the first lap of the run with a typically gutsy show in the now sweltering heat of the run leg. He was followed closely by an elite group of 20 of the best runners in the sport.

Rasmus Henning (Denmark) surged and stretched out the group on lap two but all the main players responded. When Ivan Rana (Spain) attacked on the hill back into the reservoir, the group splintered.

Only Gomez, Brownlee, Docherty, Whitfield and Frodeno could go with him and by five kilometers it was obvious the medals would come from this group.

Rana was the first to drop as his teammate Gomez went to the front to push the pace. He was followed by Brownlee and Whitfield. The medals were now between Gomez, Frodeno and Docherty. Or were they?

Heading into the reservoir for the last time Whitfield pressed to rejoin the group. With one kilometre to run he was there. The questions now were: which athlete was going to win the gold, and who was not going to medal?

Around the u-turn at the far end of the course with 300m to run Whitfield opened up the sprint to test the hearts of his competition. Only Frodeno could respond. Docherty ran valiantly ahead of a fast fading Gomez.

Whitfield looked in control of the sprint but Frodeno started to gain on him quickly. With 50m to go Frodeno has passed and dispensed with the Canadian who had nothing left.

Whitfield had beaten a German close to the line in Sydney 2000 for the gold medal, now the Germans had their revenge. Frodeno powered through the line. He showed he was the strongest man of the day.

I had gone over it a hundred if not a thousand times in my head, Frodeno said of the race, especially in the last few days. I slept about two hours last night just going over scenarios and I knew Id trained pretty well.

These three guys that were with me in the front, they are really the big three guys. I tried to focus and not read their names and kind of focus on my own race. When Simon went I knew it was going to be hard and I just had to fight and fight.

Silver medallist Whitfield was gracious in defeat, saying: I kind of fought my way back on there and thought there was no time like the present. So I went for that sprint on the outside and then tried to make it a battle of purely will power.
El medallista de plata Whitfield se mostr elegante a pesar de la derrota.

As soon as Jan came with me and stayed in contact I knew I was in a little bit of trouble. I wish you hadnt learnt so much from all those other sprints this year. I gave it all I had and Jan just kept on coming. What a spectacular performance from him.
And Docherty held off the world-number-one Gomez for the bronze: I just tried to sit in and when there was a surge I gave it everything and hung on. I knew I had strength. I knew I just had to be there at the end. Unfortunately there were four men in the last part, but third was the best I could do today.

The new Olympic Champion German Jan Frodeno was not on many peoples radar as a favourite for the race: I knew I had form but internationally very few people even knew who I was, he admitted. They will all surely know who he is now.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - Men’s Triathlon
Final Results
Gold - Jan Frodeno (GER)
Silver - Simon Whitfield (CAN)
Bronze - Bevan Docherty (NZL)
4th - Javier Gomez (ESP)
5th - Ivan Rana (ESP)
6th - Daniel Unger (GER)
7th - Hunter Kemper (USA)
8th - Rasmus Henning (DEN)
9th - Igor Sysoev (RUS)
10th - Frederic Belaubre (FRA)

Click here for full results.

Click here for photo gallery.

El atleta alemn Jan Frodeno consigui la medalla de oro en los Juegos Olmpicos de Beijing 2008 con un tiempo de 1:48:53 tras vencer en un brillante esprint a 50 metros de la meta. 

Este ao yo haba perdido todas mis carreras en unos sprint muy apretados, dijo Frodeno de su dramtico sprint. Y una cosa que hace es ensearte la leccin. As que creo que lo he aprendido en el momento oportuno.

El sprint de Frodeno en las sofocantes condiciones super al canadiense Simon Whitfield quien alcanz la medalla de plata a cinco segundos y al neozelands Bevan Docherty quien se hizo con la medalla de bronce a 12 segundos.

El espaol Javier Gomez, a priori favorito, no alcanz las medallas y termin cuarto a 20 segundos del alemn.

La Carrera

El neozelands Shane Reed y el ruso Alexander Brukhankov lideraban los dos grupos en las primeras fases del recorrido de la natacin en la Ming Tomb Reservoir. Estos grupos se unieron a 300 metros para formar un gran grupo en el que Reed controlara el ritmo de aqu en adelante.

En neozelands sali del agua primero con un rpido tiempo de 18 minutos exactos, seguido de cerca por Igor Sysoev (Rusia), Frederic Belaubre (Francia), Hunter Kemper (USA) y Hirokatsu Tayama (Japn). Despus los atletas invadieron la zona de transicin.

Se form un grupo gigante en la primera vuelta de la bicicleta, con seguramente los principales favoritos dentro de l. Sin embargo, las excepciones destacables fueron: Reto Hug y Olivier Marceau (Suiza), Will Clarke y Tim Don (Gran Bretaa).

Don no se encontraba en una situacin habitual para l, desgastndose en este pequeo grupo de atletas perseguidores. El rod en solitario el tiempo restante del segmento de la bicicleta. Marceau no tena ningn papel en este segundo grupo y se lanz en solitario a por los lderes.

En la cabeza Belaubre y Alistair Brownlee (Gran Bretaa) lanzaron en vano varios ataques al inicio de la bicicleta. Pero todo el mundo estaba muy atento, especialmente Colin Jenkins (Canad) cuyo trabajo era tirar para Whitfield.

En la segunda vuelta Marceau haba acortado la diferencia sobre los lderes. El grupo que dej no iba demasiado lejos, y cuando este lleg, el grupo de cabeza estaba formado por casi toda la categora.

En la siguiente vuelta, los oportunistas Francisco Serrano (Mjico), Dirk Bockel (Luxemburgo) y Axel Zeebroek (Blgica) lanzaron un ataque al cual los favoritos no respondieron. Se entr en la ltima vuelta y la ventaja del grupo era de 48 segundos sobre el grupo de los principales favoritos.

Serrano se cay de este grupo al poco tiempo lo que provoc un grupo de cabeza de dos. Entrando en la transicin de la bicicleta con la carrera a pie, los dos chocaron sus manos y se desearon lo mejor para la carrera a pie. Haba logrado aumentar la ventaja a 53 segundos, pero sus limitaciones en la carrera a pie iban a dificultar que aguantasen a los mejores corredores.

Brownlee puso el ritmo a la salida de la primera vuelta del segmento de carrera con una demostracin tpica de fuerza bajo un calor bochornoso. Era seguido de cerca por un grupo formado por 20 de los mejores corredores del deporte.

El dans Rasmus Henning lanz un ataque y estir el grupo en la segunda vuelta, pero todos los favoritos respondieron. Cuando el espaol Ivan Rana atac en la ascensin a la reserva, el grupo se separ.

Slo Gomez, Brownlle, Docherty, Whitfield y Frodeno pudieron seguirle y restando cinco kilmetros era obvio que las medallas saldran de este grupo.
Rana fue el primero que no pudo aguantar tras colocarse su compaero de equipo Gomez en cabeza para poner el ritmo. Fue seguido por Brownlee y Whitfield. Las medallas estaban ahora entre Gmez, Frodeno y Docherty. O fueron ellos?

De camino por ltima vez a la reserva Whitfield luch por unirse al grupo. A un kilmetro para el final l ya se encontraba con el grupo. La pregunta ahora era: qu atleta iba a ganar el oro? Y quin se iba a quedar sin medalla? 

Bordeando el ltimo giro y a 300 metros para la meta Whitfield prob los corazones de sus rivales. Slo Frodeno le respondera. Docherty corra con valenta por delante de un debilitado Gmez.

Whitfield controlaba un posible sprint pero Frodeno comenz rpidamente a acortar distancias. A 50 metros para la meta Frodeno super al canadiense que no pudo hacer nada ms.

Whitfield haba batido a un alemn cerca de la meta en Sydney 2000 para conseguir la medalla de oro y a ahora los alemanes se han tomado la revancha. Frodeno cruz la lnea de meta demostrando ser el hombre ms fuerte del da.

Lo haba repasado en mi cabeza no cien, sino mil veces, dijo Frodeno de la carrera, especialmente en los ltimos das. Dorm aproximadamente dos horas la ltima noche repasando los escenarios y saba que haba entrenado bastante bien.

Los tres chicos que estaban conmigo en la cabeza, son realmente tres grandes rivales. Intent centrarme y no leer sus nombres y as prestar atencin a mi propia carrera. Cuando Simon se fue saba que iba a ser muy difcil y slo tuve que luchar y luchar.

Tan pronto como Jan lleg a mi lado supe que estaba en un pequeo problema. Deseara que no hubiese aprendido tanto de los otros sprint que ha tenido este ao. Di todo lo que tena y Jan slo tuvo que superarme. Qu actuacin tan espectacular ha tenido.

Y Docherty derrot al nmero uno mundial Javier Gmez consiguiendo el bronce: Yo intent estar ah y cuando vi la oportunidad lo di todo y esper. Saba que tena fuerzas. Saba que slo tena que estar ah al final. Desafortunadamente haba cuatro hombres en la ltima parte, pero el tercer puesto ha sido lo mejor que he podido hacer hoy.

El Nuevo Campen Olmpico, el alemn Jan Frodeno no era para muchos el favorito a la victoria: Saba que estaba en forma, pero internacionalmente muy poca gente me conoca, admiti el campen Olmpico. Ahora seguramente ellos sepan quien es.

Juegos Olmpicos de Beijing 2008 Triatln masculino
Resultados finales
Oro - Jan Frodeno (GER)
Plata - Simon Whitfield (CAN)
Bronce - Bevan Docherty (NZL)
4th - Javier Gomez (ESP)
5th - Ivan Rana (ESP)
6th - Daniel Unger (GER)
7th - Hunter Kemper (USA)
8th - Rasmus Henning (DEN)
9th - Igor Sysoev (RUS)
10th - Frederic Belaubre (FRA)

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