World Triathlon Sprint and Relay Championships 2023: Germany win mixed relay world title in Hamburg to earn Paris 2024 quota spots
Saturday's Super Sprint world bronze medallist Laura Lindemann anchored the Germans to a home victory ahead of New Zealand and Switzerland.
Germany won the mixed relay triathlon world title in Hamburg on Sunday (16 July) to earn the nation four quota spots - two men and two women - at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Laura Lindemann, who won Super Sprint world bronze on Saturday, anchored the hosts to victory with New Zealand second and Switzerland taking third place.
Lindemann said afterwards: "It was very tough, my first solo bike in this type of race. The team did such a good job so I had to do my best to bring it home. It's so awesome to be world champions here in Hamburg."
Reigning world champions France were the notable absentees among 23 teams taking part.
Each of the team's four athletes completed a 300m swim followed by a 7km bike ride and a 1.75km run.
Saturday's individual men's Super Sprint world champion Hayden Wilde led off for New Zealand, but he was left behind as runner-up Vasco Vilaça of Portugal, Australia's Matthew Hauser and Germany's Tim Hellwig established a gap on the run.
Those three nations stayed clear with a group of five headed by USA's Taylor Spivey giving chase.
Just before the second transition, they had all but bridged the gap with Hungary, New Zealand, Switzerland and Brazil soon forming a lead group of eight.
Annika Koch, who finished just outside the medals on Saturday, stretched her rivals at the start of the run with Spivey leading the chasers and Brazil's Vittoria Lopes dropping back.
Switzerland's Julie Derron had a strong bike ride and run to leave her just three seconds adrift as Koch handed over to Simon Henseleit in front with USA, Portugal and New Zealand close behind.
It was New Zealand's Tayler Reid who emerged from the water first after a strong swim with Henseleit, Hungary's Mark Devay and Swiss Sylvain Fridelance forming a new lead group of four on the bike.
Devay left the second transition just in front with USA and Portugal over 30 seconds behind.
Henseleit pushed the pace on the run with first Fridelance and then Devay losing touch. Reid, who handed over to Nicole Van Der Kaay was in front with Lindemann on the anchor leg for Germany.
Lindemann was 12 seconds ahead after the swim with Hungary's Marta Kropko moving alongside Van Der Kaay.
The pair were soon joined by Switzerland's Cathia Schär, but Lindemann had a healthy 16-second lead as she changed into her running shoes.
Kropko lost touch with the medal places as Van der Kaay pulled clear of Schär, but it was Lindemann who was able to enjoy the adulation of the crowd and collect a German flag in the finishing straight before she crossed the line in one hour, 22 minutes and eight seconds.
New Zealand were 19 seconds behind with Switzerland a further eight seconds adrift. Summer Rappaport overhauled Kropko to take fourth for the United States.
Without Alex Yee, reigning Olympic champions Great Britain finished down in 13th place despite having Saturday runner-up Beth Potter on the anchor leg.
Results from the mixed relay triathlon at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Hamburg, 16 July 2023
- Germany 1:22:08
- New Zealand +19"
- Switzerland +27"
- United States +47"
- Hungary +57"
- Australia +1'07"
- Norway +1'19"
- Brazil +1'28"
- Italy +1'33"
- Spain +1'36"