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Will Clarke stepped up into the senior ranks today at the BG Triathlon World
Championships, Hamburg with an impressive fifth place finish as the Corus
British Triathlon team packed three athletes into the top ten.
It was a tight race for the British team, which eventually saw Daniel Unger
from Germany snatch the lead from European Champion, Spain's Javier Gomez,
in a thrilling sprint finish in the final 200 metres, to claim an
outstanding victory in front of the home crowd.
Stuart Hayes led the British out of the 1500m swim with Tim Don and Clarke
in close contention. All three Brits stayed in the lead pack on the bike and
exited for the final discipline within striking distance.
Defending Champion Tim Don immediately hit the front on the 10km run,
however he was overtaken by team mate Will Clarke on the second lap. Clarke
had established a five second lead at the half way mark, but was reeled in
by a chasing pack of five athletes.
Clarke, last year's World Under 23 Champion, finished just 26 seconds behind
Unger in fifth with Stuart Hayes in eighth. Tim Don struggled on the second
half of the run but still placed himself in tenth. Three athletes in the top
ten ensured Britain headed the international rankings in a World
Championships that suggests great things for Beijing 2008 and the future of
the Corus British Triathlon team.
Will Clarke commented: "I'm absolutely ecstatic with my race. I've shown I can compete with the
best in the world and to finish top five in the senior race at the World
Champs is much more satisfying than my World Under 23 win last year. The
course at next year's Olympic Games in Beijing is much tougher on the bike
and that will really suit me; I'm ready to challenge for the medals."
Men's BG Triathlon World Championship result:
1. Daniel Unger, Germany
2. Javier Gomez, Spain
3. Brad Kahlefeldt, Australia
4. Simon Whitfield, Canada
5. Will Clarke, Great Britain
6. Jan Frodeno, Germany
7. Terenzo Bozzone, New Zealand
8. Stuart Hayes, Great Britain
9. Bevan Docherty, New Zealand
10. Tim Don, Great Britain
For further information visit BritishTriathlon.org.
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