Andrea Hewitt has started her World Triathlon Series campaign with a steady performance in Abu Dhabi, coming home in 5th place over the new sprint course behind winner and defending World Champion Gwen Jorgensen (USA).
Hewitt posted the third fastest run split in the women's field but had too much work to do to overhaul all but three of those in the lead group after the swim split into two bunches.
 Andrea Hewitt congratulates Gwen Jorgensen after the race(Photo: Janos Schmidt / ITU; click to enlarge) |
"It is always hard, the first race of the season, it was a rough swim, I found myself in the middle of the second group which made it difficult on the bike with such a big group, we didn't get working at all together. There were some good moments but we kept losing time which wasn't great.
"We still had them in sight at the end of the bike though so I started the run and Gwen of course, she went straight out and sprinted past and there was no chance of staying with her, she ended up running under 16 minutes which was fast. I managed to stay with second (Barbara), we ran together for most of the run and we passed everyone apart from the front three and I finished 5th in the end."
Hewitt said she had to be realistic when Jorgensen went past her and powered towards the leaders.
"I just couldn't run that fast, I put my bike in and left transition before she even came in but she passed me after 250 metres so she was just moving 15 seconds faster over the first kilometre. I am doing everything at the moment, swim bike and run. I am happy with how I ran because I was running at the front and we ran under 17 minutes so yeah, it was a good run."
Hewitt said despite the long trip and the time difference, it was worth coming to Abu Dhabi to get her opening race under her belt before the Barfoot & Thompson World Triathlon Auckland on March 29.
"I know this is far from New Zealand, it took me 24 hours to get here and with 9 hours of time difference I was racing at midnight which isn't ideal but to miss this race would have put me behind coming into Auckland. I love racing in Auckland, it is such a tough course and yeah, it will be fun."
Results: ITU World Triathlon Series, Abu Dhabi
Elite Women
1. Gwen Jorgensen (USA) 58:59
2. Katie Zaferes (USA) 59:15
3. Flora Duffy (BER) 59:23
4. Barbara Riveros (CHI) 59:37
5. Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 59:38
6. Lindsey Jerdonek (USA) 59:40
7. Charlotte McShane (AUS) 59:44
8. Yuka Sato (JPN) 59:48
9. Sarah True (USA) 59:51
10. Kaitlin Donner (USA) 59:53
