SA’s Rio stars shine in World Series

Richard Murray finished fifth at the WTS Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Photo: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

Richard Murray finished fifth at the WTS Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Photo: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

Published Mar 5, 2017

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JOHANNESBURG - Finishing with two creditable top-10 places, South Africa had a tough day at the World Triathlon Series in Abu Dhabi on Saturday with Richard Murray and Henri Schoeman finishing fifth and 10th respectively.

Five-time ITU world champion Javier Gomez Noya of Spain made a golden comeback by taking first place after missing the Rio Olympic Games.

Britain’s Tom Bishop finished in second place with France’s Vincent Luis also making a comeback and bagging the bronze medal.

It was a good result for Murray, who won the recent Triathlon World Cup event in Cape Town, where he was followed by Schoeman and fellow South Africa Wian Sullwald in second and third place respectively.

On Saturday, Schoeman looked comfortably in the driving seat getting out of the water in third place with his fellow South African just behind him.

Sullwald was in good shape before he crashed on the second lap of the cycle leg, taking a fall at a hair-pin turn before retiring.

Traditionally his weaker event, Murray finished the swimming leg one minute adrift of the leaders.

Murray worked his way up from 29th out of the water to 11th on the bike leg to claim fifth place thanks to another strong run.

Olympic bronze medallist Schoeman joined the lead peloton riding at the back, where he stayed for the entire 40km of the cycle leg.

Behind them, Spaniards Mario Mola and Fernando Alarza and Murray led the chase with the gap increasing to more than a minute going into the run.

Schoeman took an early lead on the 10km run before Gomez Noya and Bishop moved past.

The South African soon slipped behind the duo before Luis caught up with him shortly before reaching the end of the second leg.

While Schoeman was fast fading, Murray put the pedal down in the running leg, making his way up the field.

Murray once again prove he was one of the strongest runners in the field by posting the second fastest time on the day (31min 14sec).

Schoeman would have been happy with his performance over the first two legs with his run chipping away at the advantage he enjoyed, finishing the final event almost two minutes slower than his compatriot.

South Africa’s only representative in the elite women’s race, Gillian Sanders, finished 20th after fighting her way from 27th after the swim.

The next leg on the series is in Gold Coast, Australia, next month - the same race where Murray broke his collarbone in a crash that put his Rio dreams in doubt a year ago.

The Sunday Independent 

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