Medals & Top Tens in Abu Dhabi
It has been an exciting few days at the Triathlon World Champs in Abu Dhabi. The action kicked off on Thursday with the Para Triathlon and Age Group Super Sprint World Champs.
Earlier today (Friday), Erin McConnell contested the U23 World Championships, going toe to toe with the best up and coming athletes in the world.
MacCombe & Sands Finish Season on a High Note
Top five was the goal for Chloe MacCombe and Catherine Sands heading into Abu Dhabi. The pair finished eighth last year and, following a season in which they won Commonwealth silver, the aim was a higher placed finish for 2022.
In a race won Spanish star Susana Rodriguez, MacCombe and Sands battled hard in the Abu Dhabi heat to produce a solid swim, bike and run combination in a time of 1:14:01 to finish fifth and complete their 2022 season.
Full Results.
Donnacha McCarthy & Sean Husband Ninth
Donnacha McCarthy and Sean Husband’s race didn’t start the way they would have wanted, a 12:46 swim left the pair with some chasing to do on the technical bike and run courses.
Finishing in a time of 1:04:41 saw McCarthy and Husband squeeze just inside the top ten for ninth place, and a well earned off season.
Read the World Triathlon race report for both the men’s and women’s PTVI events on triathlon.org.
McConnell in Women’s U23
A stacked Under 23 Women’s field got Friday morning’s action underway in Abu Dhabi. Erin McConnell was on the start line for Ireland in her first standard distance of the 2022 season.
Out of the swim in the second pack, Erin travelled in the chase pack throughout the eight lap, 40 kilometre bike course, working hard in a large group.
Eventually finishing 24th in a time of 2:07:53, one place higher than her result in Edmonton last year, McConnell will have picked up valuable experience at the level still with one more year in the U23 category.
Read World Triathlon’s Race Report
Age Group Medals
Huge congratulations to Anna Benson, Nigel Fanning and Patrick Tierney, who medalled in their Super Sprint distance Age Groups on Thursday.
Anna Benson, 15 – 19 AG
Nigel Fanning, 45- 49 AGPatrick Tierney, 45 – 49 AG
Well done all!
Up Next
Tomorrow, the Tri Team Ireland Age Group triathletes will contest the standard distance 2022 World Triathlon Age-Group Championships Abu Dhabi.
View the start lists.
