Potter, Abdelmoula Win World Cup Tongyeong
Beth Potter won her second straight World Cup sprint by a close margin over fellow Brit Kate Waugh. New triathlete Jawad Abdelmoula of Morocco unleashed a dominant run to take top honors at World Triathlon Cup Tongyeong.
Potter and training partner Waugh rocketed away from the field through the swim and bike legs, dueled closely from the start of the 5k run until Potter won a finish line sprint to take the gold by three seconds. Sandra Dodet of France, the 2019 Tongyeong World Cup champ, made up a minute with a race-best 17:06 run to take the final spot on the podium, 45 seconds behind the winner.
Potter’s win came one week after her victory at World Cup Triathlon Haeundae in a similar 1-2 finish for the British duo.
Women’s Recap
Potter and Waugh led the field through the 750-meter swim and maintained the lead at the start of the 20-kilometer bike leg which features technical sections and challenging climbs and descents. Potter led the first portion of the bike, but soon thereafter Waugh made contact and they rode together for the duration, arriving at T2 with a 20 seconds lead on the chase group; which included Dodet, Emilie Morier of France, and Australian Emma Jackson. Trailing the leaders were a large group, 45 seconds arrears.
Upon arrival at T2, Potter and Waugh gapped the chasers by one minute. Aware of Potter’s electric run ability, Waugh pushed hard in the final stage of the bike leg and started the run with a 10-seconds lead. Seeking the bronze, Dodet and Jackson embarked on their own duel for a medal.
On the final lap, Potter erased her deficit and established a 3-seconds lead to finish in 58:08 on the blue carpet.
“Today I had all the choices on the pontoon,” Potter told World Triathlon media. “I worked the swim really hard and the first bit of the bike and we were just extending the lead.”
Potter said she wasn't in a hurry to blast out of transition. “No panic. I know my strength and I know it’s better for me to close it gradually. I stayed cool and worked the uphill and the downhill and just had full momentum and used that to full advantage.”
Waugh took her second straight sprint silver medal in stride. “I felt strong last week,” she told World Triathlon media. ““I had to play the race to my strength. I had to get a little gap on the run. I thought I would give myself the best chance to standing on the top step.” Waugh took an ever-increasing confidence from her silver. “I am so happy with how these races have gone. I have gained so much confidence and experience.”
Dodet was satisfied with the top result behind the two Brits. “I had a better swim than last weekend,” she said. “We were a big group on the bike so I knew I had to push on the run make the podium.”
Men’s Recap
With 48 men diving off the south coast of Korea, water temps of 19.4 Celsius and air of 16.3 Celsius allowed a wetsuit swim for the final World Cup of the season.
Alessio Crociani of Italy and Max Stapley of Australia hit the beach in 18:23 to take a short lead at T1. Once on the bike, six men including Stapley, took the lead. Within a short time, a pack of chasers joined the party on the challenging, hilly course to form a 20-man lead pack which included Michele Sarzilla of Italy, Gabor Faldum of Hungary, Rodrigo Gonzalez of Mexico, Martin Sobey of Canada and Antoine Duval of France.
At T2, a group of 10 men arrived together with a 45 seconds lead on the chasers. On the run, Abdelmoula immediately seized control. The Moroccan, a former runner with only 5 World Triathlons experience, charged up all the steep hills to extend his lead on every lap.
After a race-best 14:58 5k run split, Abdelmoula crossed the line in 51:43 with a 9 seconds margin over Italian Alessio Crociani and 10 seconds over third-place finisher Sergio Baxter Cabrera of Spain.
Abdelmoula mentioned tactical lessons learned in previous races following his win: “I was really happy today because last week I was on the third pack on the bike,” he told World Triathlon media. “Today I was very happy to win today – as I was on the first pack and ran very good.”
Crociani was happy with his recent progress. “Wow, I am very happy with these Korean races,” he told World Triathlon media. “I am very happy today because I ran very fast and a big progression. I have a big sprint so I finished second today.”
Spain’s Cabrera took third to earn his first World Cup medal. “I was coming into this race, after a few doubts, especially after last weekend in Haeundae, he told World Triathlon media. “I am over the moon with a podium. It’s my first podium of a World Cup and it’s given me confidence for next season and next Olympic cycle.”
World Triathlon Cup Tongyeong
Tongyeong, South Korea
October 30, 2021
S 750 m / B 20 k / R 5k
Pro Women
1. Beth Potter (GBR) S 9:04 T1 00:41 B 30:25 T2 00:28 R 17:33 TOT 58:08
2. Kate Waugh (GBR) S 9:09 T1 00:39 B 30:10 T2 00:27 R 17:47 TOT 58:11
3. Sandra Dodet (FRA) S 9:31 T1 00:43 B 31:02 T2 00:32 R 17:06 TOT 58:53
4. Emma Jackson (AUS) S 9:32 T1 00:40 B 31:02 T2 00:31 R `17:21 TOT 59:03
5. Roksana Slupek (POL) S 9:35 T1 00:42 B 30:56 T2 00:28 R 17:28 TOT 59:07
6. Paulina Klimas (POL) S 9:35 T1 00:43 B 30:57 T2 00:29 R 17:29 TOT 59:11
7. Nina Kishimoto (JPN) S 9:31 T1 00:40 B 31:04 T2 00:29 R 17:35 TOT 59:17
8. Hanna Maksimava (BLR) S 9:37 T1 00:39 B 30:58 T2 00:30 R 17:37 TOT 59:19
9. Bianca Seregni (ITA) S 9:34 T1 00:46 B 30:57 T2 00:29 R 17:36 TOT 17:36
10. Luisa Iogna-Prat (ITA) S 9:31 T1 00:40 B 31:02 T2 00:27 R 17:46 TOT 59:24
Pro Men
1. Jawad Abdelmoula (MAR) S 8:52 T1 00:37 B 26:55 T2 00:254 R 14:58 TOT 51:43
2. Alessio Crociani (ITA) S 8:23 T1 00:39 B 27:21 T2 090:21 R 15:09 TOT 51:52
3. Sergio Baxter Cabrera (ESP) S 8:49 T1 00:38 B 26:56 T2 00:23 R 15:10 TOT 51:53
4. Michele Sarzilla (ITA) S 8:37 T1 00:36 B 27:11 T2 00:26 R 15:06 TOT 51:54
5. Luke Bate (AUS) S 8:47 T1 00:36 B 27:01 T2 00:23 R 15:09 TOT 51:55
6. Gábor Faldum (HUN) S 8:51 T1 00:39 B 26:53 T1 00:24 R 15:12 TOT 51:57
7. Antoine Duval (FRA) S 8:27 T1 00:39 B 27:19 T2 00:24 R 15:14 TORT 52:01
8. Támas Tóth (HUN) S 8:38 T1 00:40 B 27:04 T2 00:24 R 15:17 TOT 52:01
9. Jumpei Furuya (JPN) S 8:31 T1 00:32 B 27:21 T2 00:23 R 15:17 TOT 52:02
10. Nicola Azzano (ITA) S 8:30 T1 00:39 B 27:14 T2 00:23 R 15:26 TOT 52:09
