The race kick-started an exciting period for the young athletes, many of whom are members of the British Triathlon Olympic Talent Squad, as they build on the early season events in Quarteira and Eilat. The athletes have mixed the international races with domestic British Triathlon Super Series events, aiming to ensure the athletes develop the skills required to move forward into the Rio 2016 and 2020 Olympic cycle.
At 16,
Miles Burton, one of the youngest athletes in the field made his sprint distance debut finishing in 27th position, whilst the more experienced
Gordon Benson and
Marc Austin improved their early season form by taking silver and bronze respectively. Miles now takes this experience into next weekend’s ETU European Youth Relay trial in Hetton Lyons Country Park, whilst Gordon and Marc build towards selection for the ITU Junior Triathlon World Championships.
Grant Sheldon was back in action following injury, making his full comeback from breaking his hand only a week before the European Championships earlier in the year to finish in 33rd position.
The event had 76 athletes on the start-line and it saw
Gordon Benson,
Marc Austin and
Cameron Milne exit the lake swim in the front group of 11. They created a breakaway front group, which stayed away from a big second pack containing Miles Burton,
Grant Sheldon and fellow Brits
Andrew Christie and
Duncan McArthur. The run saw Benson, Austin and European bronze medallist Kristian Blummenfelt brake clear with a final surge by Blummenfelt with 500m to go taking the win.
In the women’s race, reigning European Junior Champion
Georgia Taylor-Brown and 17-year-old
Sophie Coldwell led the swim out and established a breakaway on the bike. The Brits were caught by a chase pack of seven athletes that included European junior bronze medallist
Sarah Wilm after 4km, with the group staying clear of the field until the finish.
Wilm pushed on for the win, and despite Sophie and Georgia working hard to chase down the German, they didn’t have enough on the day to catch Wilm who took gold, Georgia won silver and Sophie bronze. This was a positive performance for the two British girls as they build up to the ITU Junior Triathlon World Championships in Auckland later this year.
Also competing in Tabor were Alex McKibben (23rd) in the women’s race and Jack Hall (67th) in the junior men’s race.
For full results from all the British juniors racing in the Czech Republic, please visit
www.triathlon.org
