The Europe Triathlon Junior Cup women produced a Dutch victory on Friday evening. During the 36th edition, Luna de Bruin was the first woman to cross the finish line. Among the men, Portuguese João Nuno Batista was the fastest triathlete.
In Holten, De Bruin ultimately made the difference in the running segment. The Dutch athlete was part of the leading group along with three Frenchwomen but crossed the finish line solo after a powerful acceleration. That was De Bruin’s goal in Holten.
The Dutch triathlete had start number 1 in Holten. “That put some pressure on, at least for myself,” said De Bruin. “And last week in Montreal, things went so well during the World Triathlon Series. That’s why I really wanted to win here.”
Her desire to be the first to cross the line in Holten was mainly reflected in the running segment. “I might have started a bit too early,” said the Dutch athlete. “I thought: this isn’t going to work out anymore. But the others were struggling too. I got support from the crowd, and in the final stretch, I thought: I have to win.”
For De Bruin, the victory in Holten marked the end of her career as a junior. The Dutch athlete is moving up to the elite level. “I won’t compete in junior races anymore. Three years ago, I ran my first junior race here in Holten. This is a nice conclusion.”
In the men’s competition, the victory went to Portugal. Portuguese triathlete João Nuno Batista proved too strong for Frenchman Tom Lerno and Spanish triathlete Pelayo González Turrez during the 36th edition of the Triathlon. Batista achieved his victory despite some physical discomforts.
“During the swim, I had some trouble with my arm,” said Batista after his winning race. The Portuguese winner participated in the World Triathlon Series in Montreal, Canada, a weekend earlier. “After the swim, I was with the first group. We worked well together to stay ahead of the chasing group. During the run, I had some trouble with my ankle, especially in the corners, but I gave everything to finish first and it went well.”
Results Europe Triathlon Junior Cup women:
1. Luna de Bruin – Netherlands – 01:01:18
2. Appoline Foltz – France – 01:01:24
3. Anouk Sterkers – France – 01:01:33
Results Europe Triathlon Junior Cup men:
1. João Nuno Batista – Portugal – 00:54:38
2. Tom Lerno – France – 00:54:44
3. Pelayo González Turrez – Spain – 00:54:49
