Hepburn and Crome Win Among Juniors
The first day of the Triathlon Holten delivered a double Australian victory on Friday evening. In the triathlon village, Australian Jack Crome was crowned the winner of the Triathlon Junior Cup Men, while his compatriot Rhianna Hepburn proved to be the fastest woman among the juniors.
As the evening gradually descended over Holten, Australian Jack Crome was the first man to cross the finish line in the junior men’s race. Crome led the race from the swimming segment in the Domelaar and formed part of a leading group of four triathletes for the remainder of the competition.
“The swimming went well. I was the first out of the water, so I didn’t have to fight with anyone,” said the Australian winner after the competition in Holten. “During the cycling, I was in the lead group with my mate Thomas Feldman, Benjamin Airey, and an Estonian, and we could cycle together. We were also together during the running. Running is normally my weaker event, but cycling went well, and running too. Everything came together today.”
Crome started in Holten with start number 1, but nevertheless had not expected to win. “This is a small surprise. The World Championship is coming up, and this was a test for me to see how things are. I thought it was going to be challenging, but it turned out fine in the end. In Australia, we are used to hot summers, but here it was 22 or 23 degrees. That was perfect.”
About an hour before Crome crossed the finish line, compatriot Rhianna Hepburn won the women’s race. She completed the sprint distance in a time of 00:53:28. However, Hepburn’s victory was not without some complications.
The leading group of seventeen triathletes was mistakenly directed into the transition zone after one cycling lap. As a result, only two participants in the junior women’s race completed the full triathlon course, consisting of two cycling laps.
Nevertheless, the jury decided to uphold the original result, allowing Hepburn to be named the fastest woman among the juniors. The podium in Holten was completed with two Dutch athletes. Anniek Mars finished second, while Sonja de Koning claimed the third position.
Results Triathlon Junior Cup Men
1. Jack Crome – Australia – 00:55:01
2. Benjamin Airey – New Zealand – 00:55:07
3. Gregor Rasva – Estonia – 00:55:16
Results Triathlon Junior Cup Women
1. Rhianna Hepburn – Australia – 00:53:28
2. Aniek Mars – Netherlands – 00:53:38
3. Sonja De Koning – Netherlands – 00:54:45
