World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama 2024: Leonie Periault and Morgan Pearson top podiums
Frenchwoman Leonie Periault and Morgan Pearson of the United States unleashed blistering runs to take victory at World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) season opener in Yokohama, Japan on Saturday (11 May).
Pearson claimed his maiden WTCS title – contested over the Olympic triathlon distance of 1,500m swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run – for a confidence boost ahead of Paris 2024. The former distance runner showed off his prowess on the final run leg, completing the 10km in 29:11 for a total time of 1:42:05.
Matthew Hauser was seven seconds further back with another Australian, Luke Willian, taking third to join Hauser in the team for Paris. The Australian Olympic Committee had said previously that a top-eight finish in Yokohama would clinch a place in the Olympic squad.
Pearson told World Triathlon afterwards, "I knew I could win one of these, but these guys are beasts and training just as hard as me.
“Everyone wants to win. You can be in the shape of your life and still have things go wrong or someone be fitter. You just have to show up and give it your best and today my best was good enough.”
The 30-year-old was in the chasing pack coming out of the water in Yokohama Bay along with reigning Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt and British ace Jonny Brownlee.
A group of approximately 30 formed early in the bike leg which saw multiple crashes with Rio 2016 silver medallist Henri Schoeman among the casualties.
Willian, Jelle Geens and Jonas Schomburg made an early break on the run leg before being joined by Pearson and Charles Paquet.
Pearson and Willian duelled at the front on the final lap, building a lead of more than 10 seconds over the chasers. And it was the American who kicked clear to take the blue carpet in pole position and break his WTCS duck.
Hauser finished strongly to take second with France's two-time former world champion Vincent Luis and Blummenfelt taking ninth and 10th place respectively.
Leonie Periault flies to second WTCS gold
In the women’s race, Periault claimed the second WTCS win of her career ahead of American Taylor Knibb and French team-mate Emma Lombardi.
Former under-23 world champion Lombardi flew out of the final transition into the run leg and was soon joined at the front by Periault, Great Britain’s Kate Waugh, Germany's Laura Lindemann and USA's Kirsten Kasper.
With Knibb managing to make up ground after a slow second transition, Periault moved to the front after the first lap and built up a handy lead of more than 20 seconds. The 29-year-old never looked like being caught as shhe won in 1:52:28, more than half a minute clear of Knibb in second.
“I am very happy, I don’t understand the performance,” said a stunned Periault afterwards. “It’s a good start for me after the winter, with my new coaches. I am happy but don’t understand the result.”
In her first race for well over a year after a long-term knee injury, reigning Olympic champion Flora Duffy finished in seventh place with Rio 2016 gold medallist Gwen Jorgensen down in 15th position.
With three Americans finishing in front of Jorgensen - Knibb, Taylor Spivey in fourth and Kasper fifth - the 38-year-old's hopes of making Paris appear to be receding.
The second round of this year's WTCS takes place in Cagliari, Italy on 25 May.
WTCS Yokohama men’s elite race top-10 results:
- Morgan Pearson (USA) – 1:42:05
- Matt Hauser (AUS) – 1:42:12
- Luke Willian (AUS) – 1:42:20
- Leo Bergere (FRA) – 1:42:26
- Charles Paquet (CAN) – 1:42:30
- Marten Van Riel (BEL) – 1:42:34
- Kenji Nener (JPN) – 1:42:36
- Miguel Hidalgo (BRA) – 1:42:38
- Vincent Luis (FRA) – 1:42:40
- Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) – 1:42:46
WTCS Yokohama women’s elite race top-10 results:
- Leonie Periault (FRA) – 1:52:28
- Taylor Knibb (USA) – 1:53:04
- Emma Lombardi (FRA) – 1:53:08
- Taylor Spivey (USA) – 1:53:25
- Kirsten Kasper (USA) – 1:53:34
- Anna Godoy Contreras (ESP) – 1:53:35
- Flora Duffy (BER) – 1:53:38
- Djenyfyr Arnold (BRA) – 1:53:43
- Laura Lindemann (GER) – 1:54:00
- Kate Waugh (GBR) – 1:54:11