Gwen Jorgensen repeats as world triathlon champion
2016 U.S. Olympian Gwen Jorgensen repeated as world triathlon champion by winning her 12th consecutive World Triathlon Series competition at the WTS Grand Final (1,500-meter swim in Lake Michigan, 40K bike race, 10K run) in Chicago on Friday afternoon.
“I was really hurting today,” Jorgensen said on the NBC Universal broadcast following her victory. “I didn't know what was going to happen.”
Jorgensen finished in 1:55:36 over Great Britain’s Non Stanford (+29 seconds) and Vicky Holland (+44 seconds). Both Brits qualified for the Olympics with their placing.
Jorgensen pulled away from Stanford and Holland with two kilometers remaining on the run.
Fellow 2016 U.S. Olympian Sarah True finished seventh in 1:57:19. Jorgensen finished atop the ITU world rankings with Hewitt second, True third, Holland fifth and American Olympic hopeful Katie Zaferes fifth.
Zaferes is among the favorites for the final Olympic spot, which will be determined next season.
Full results can be viewed here.
Jorgensen is the favorite for next summer's gold medal at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro after placing 38th at the London Olympics. True missed the medals by one spot in 2012 with her fourth place finish.
The 2016 World Triathlon Series returns on March 4–5 in Abu Dhabi.
Jorgensen's splits on Friday:
1,500-meter swim: 17:57
Transition one: 1:30
40K bike ride: 1:02:53
Transition two: 35 seconds
10K run: 32:43
- Christopher Chavez
