New Zealand has their Edmonton World Championship campaign underway with the perfect three from three gold medals in the elite divisions, with Anneke Jenkins (Tauranga) taking the elite women, Kyle Smith (Taupo) the elite junior men and Jaimee Leader (Palmerston North) the elite junior women.
The three were the only elite Kiwis lining up, delivering a 100% hit rate to give the entire team of elites and age groupers a huge boost in the first event of the week. All will back up later in the week in their respective World Championship triathlon events.
Tri NZ Talent Development Coach Tim Brazier described a day of great execution from all three.
"The Tri NZ HP team is stoked for all three athletes to come and execute so well on the day after long days of travel. Anneke raced strongly today in holding off the Ukraine competitor on the run and both Jaimee and Kyle stood out today in the way they went about their processes and executing and not giving up, in a race that has different age categories on the same start line, you often don't know where you are in the race and simply have to keep pushing.
"This is very good experience for both Kyle and Jaimee, on the course and in the atmosphere of a World Championship and in the team environment and coping with the pressure that comes with that. Both will back up later in their triathlon events so this is great for their confidence and preparation for their triathlon events still to come."
16 year old Kyle Smith was delighted with his result, but in typically Kiwi style was chasing a high overall finish as well as a world championship in his elite junior category.
"I am pretty happy and stoked. The start was quite hectic on a slightly dodgy start pontoon, I had a good start and got into my rhythm quickly and found some decent feet. In transition I was about 6th overall and first under 19. I started a bit flat on the run, perhaps due to all the travel, but held tough and my opposition couldn't catch me and I passed the leading under 23 athlete and won that category as well. I had to hold tough on the whole run, it was hard in the heat after the New Zealand winter.
"I wasn't too sure where I was though until the first lap but Graeme [Maw- Tri NZ High Performance Director] told me I was first and leading the under 19's. From then I was hunting down the overall first across the line and running hard but saw I had the under 19 in the bag so I am really happy with that.
"Being a World Champion feels great, I'm really happy right now and can't put it in words, it hasn't sunk in yet. It gives me confidence going into the rest of the week and hopefully the entire New Zealand team can all bring on more medals. I want to thank Tri NZ, Team Taupo who have supported me for a long time, ASICS shoes and my local bike shop Top Gear cycles and the Massage Clinic for their support."
17 year old Jaimee Leader was equally delighted and trying to find words after receiving her gold medal.
"Oh my gosh, it is amazing, I can't describe it, it is giving me goose bumps right now. It was beyond hot during the race, I was running to the water stations on the run, lapping up the water here, it is crazy hot.
"The race was great, I had a good swim, stayed near the front, came out on the run and knew it was basically a running race from there on and I pushed it the whole way. It was a tough feeling, different to triathlon. And it was quite tough not knowing where you were in the race but I thought I was near the front, I kept going and heard the announcement near the finish line and knew the hard work paid off.
This is a great confidence boost, to gain this experience, it is amazing to win but now the focus turns to triathlon on Friday. I need to thank mum and dad, my family, coach Sam (Warriner) at Sweat7 and the team at Tri NZ and all my sponsors. Everyone has been huge over the past year and I managed to keep going."
Full results including all age group categories will be posted once available to the official event website.
