Juniors show class at World Champs

Irish Juniors show class at World Triathlon
Championships

Thursday morning saw the turn of Ireland’s top junior
athletes as they took on the best the world of triathlon has to offer.

Emma Sharkey in the junior women’s race lined up alongside
73 other athletes as they dived into London’s Serpentine Lake to start their
750m swim.

Despite the crowded turn buoys, Sharkey managed to negotiate
the course with ease, rising from the water 2 seconds off the leader in 5th
place. The pace had been quick as Emma clocked 9:20 for the 750 meters as the
rest of the field was strung out in single file with some trailing over 2
minutes behind.

“I’ve been working hard on my swim so I was pleased to get
to the first turn buoy in 3rd place. Once I was there I knew I was
in a good position and could avoid the scramble behind.” Emma told us after the
race.

Comfortably into the lead bike pack Emma rode well near the
front at all times and out of danger. The group of 14 kept up a strong pace in
order to keep clear of the packs chasing behind.

“I just wanted to keep out of trouble because when you’re at
the back you can get caught out by people breaking unexpectedly or trying a
break away. I did some work on the front with about 5 other girls but there
were some in the group who I never saw near the front.”

Entering T2 they had pulled out 1:15 on the 2nd
chase pack of 11 and almost 2 minutes on the 3rd pack.

Tamara Gorman of the USA charged out of T2 on the run
opening up an early advantage with a host of other nations in hot pursuit.
Sharkey was also running well and was delighted to come home in 13th
place.

The race was eventually won by Tamara Gorman with George
Taylor-Brown of Great Britain 2nd and Laura Lindemann of Germany in
3rd.

“Emma had a great race. Top 15 in the world is a brilliant
result and a testament to the hard work she has put in and the talented
athletes we have.” commented TI Junior Squad Coach Stephen Delaney.

In the Junior Men’s race Ireland had two representatives in
the form of Limerick’s Aaron O’Brien and Cork’s Chris Mintern.

Again with a stacked field of 74 on the start line, the swim
was always going to be physical. The Irish duo found themselves in the thick of
it emerging from the water in 43rd and 45th place.
Frenchman Dorian Coninx had set the early swim pace as athletes behind him
battled to stay close to the front.

“The swim was just crazy. It was a case of trying to stay
alive as you were getting pulled and dragged at every turn.” Commented O’Brien.

21 men managed to make the lead bike pack and were pushing
on, looking to keep the gap.

Aaron and Chris hurried through transition and onto their
bikes hoping to chase down the leaders. After just a few hundred meters disaster
struck for Mintern as an Italian athlete touched a wheel and the bunch
scattered across the road in front of him.

“We were at the first corner as I was trying to fasten up my
bike shoes. Next minute I look up and there’s a guy on the deck right in front
of me. There was nowhere to go so I’m pretty disappointed with it.” Commented
Mintern.

“I had some road rash but I’m in the World Championships so
I just put my chain back on, got back on my bike and chased for the rest of the
day.”

O’Brien and the 2nd pack were riding well and
managed to bridge the gap to the leaders with just 3km remaining.

“I saw Chris go down early which I just managed to avoid by
swerving to the left. The road was really greasy and there were a few more
crashes but I stayed near the front with about five other guys and we worked
hard to bridge up.” Commented O’Brien.

The Frenchman, Dorian Coninx was again to the fore on the
run with a host of the top British athletes, Sheldon, Benson and Austin on his
heels.

By the finish Coninx had pulled away to take gold with Marc
Austin 2nd and Grant Sheldon 3rd. Aaron O’Brien produced
a PB on the run to finish just a minute off the winner in 53 minutes and 20th position.

Chris Mintern battled on, picking off a number of athletes
over the final kilometres to finish 67th.

The opening day of World Championship action on Wednesday
saw Ireland pick up its first medal of the Championships when Matt Molloy
claimed gold in the 40-44 years age group in the Aquathlon World Championships.
Molloy clocked the 2nd fastest swim and fastest run to cover the
750m swim and 5km run in 31:02. 

In the elite women’s race Lizzie Lee, who is better known
for her XC running finished 7th in the strong field.

Junior World Championship Results Here

Aquathlon World Championships Results Here