U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team member Katie Zaferes wins the World Triathlon on Saturday clocking the race in 57 minutes and 3 seconds on the sprint 750m swim, 20-kilometer bike, 5-kilometer run for the title finish.
Just five weeks away from the women’s triathlon at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Zaferes topped the World Triathlon Series podium for the first time in her career, a perfect way to practice in an event situation; her Olympic teammate Gwen Jorgensen finished third.
Continuing from her last season, where she won five silver medals and one bronze she won on the WTS circuit, this is the first podium finish of the season for Zaferes. She was followed by Rachel Klamer of Netherlands who stayed second in 57:14, and Jorgensen was third in 57:29, earning her 22nd career WTS medal and fourth this season.
Speaking about the win, an excited Zaferes said, “I’m so excited. This first beginning of the year wasn’t what I wanted to be, and I wasn’t racing like the Katie I know I am. Today I just raced like me, and I got the reward, and it was awesome.”
Further she added in her post-race statement, “I just decided to keep it simple. I’d been overthinking stuff for the beginning of the year, and today I was like, ‘I’m going to go as hard as I can in the swim, bike and run.’ That’s what I did, and I believed in myself.”
Her Olympic Team mate Gwen Jorgensen, who came out of the swim 11 seconds behind Zaferes, missed the lead bike pack and lost time over the next 20 kilometers. She started the run 59 seconds behind Zaferes. Jorgensen was the last to leave transition, still she ran her way to the bronze medal of the competition.
Speaking post the race, she said,”Katie came across the line first, and it’s just incredible for her first win and keeping it in the USA family.”
Jorgensen further added about the Rio 2016 environment, “Rio’s a very different race, it’s Olympic distance, big hill – completely different from this race. But obviously I thought I could have done better today.”
Top three positions of ITU World Triathlon Hamburg (Elite Women)
750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run
Elite Women – Complete Results
1. Katie Zaferes (Hampstead, Md.), 57:03
2. Rachel Klamer (NED), 57:14
3. Gwen Jorgensen (St. Paul, Minn.), 57:29