Africa Triathlon

Rachel Klamer (NED) came from behind to win gold in the women’s world cup in Tiszaújváros on Sunday, with Margit Vanek (HUN) winning silver and Pamela Oliveira (BRA) winning bronze. 

Along with all of Tiszaújváros, the Vanek family will be celebrating their double win, as Margit’s brother Akos Vanek won gold in the men’s race.

Klamer was 13th out of the water but rode fastest in the bike race and second in the run behind Zsofia Kovacs (HUN) to clinch the gold, while Vanek clocked third fastest in the run after trailing 20th on the bike. Oliveira saw the lead slip away after finishing the swim in first place, clocking up sixth-fastest time in the run.

Klamer said: “My run was really, really hard and I’m completely smashed. But it’s awesome to win it. After yesterday I thought it wasn’t very hard, or at least not the run. I’m so happy. It’s an awesome event and I love to race here. But this morning I thought, ‘this is going to be really tough’, but I made it.”

“I’ve never raced something like this before.”

Vanek was fourth out of the water behind Carolina Routier (ESP), Gaia Peron (ITA) and Oliveira but was slower on the bike, catching up during the run to clock the third-fastest time.

Her silver medal win delighted the local crowd.

“I feel amazing, I really can’t express what I feel, it was my dream but I really didn’t think it could happen. I was a bit afraid of the swim because of the buoy which is close to the pontoon, but fortunately I was not in a fight, so there was no problem,” Vanek said.

“In the middle of the run I didn’t feel like I was so strong but I think that the other girls were tired after racing yesterday. I’m so happy to make the spectators happy.”

Oliveira won bronze after a strong start, first out of the water but slipping back to 21st on the bike race before powering to the sixth-fastest time in the run, finishing ahead of Kovacs in fourth and Lindsey Jerdonek (USA) in fifth.

“I’m very happy. I really pushed,” Oliveira said.