Championship season is heating up with the Bahrain Endurance Team heading into the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. The races will be held over two days, with female athletes racing on Saturday and male athletes on Sunday.

With only women racing on Saturday, there will be clear water and road ahead for the leading athletes, allowing a true test of who is the fastest. Swiss star Ryf in full health bidding to take the title back makes this race one to watch. “It will be a fast race with some very fast girls racing. So I know I will have to show my very best to have a chance for the win,” says the two-time 70.3 world champion, who has been training at altitude in Switzerland. “Training has been going well and I hope to be able to show what I prepared in the last few months. I see the race as a great challenge and it would mean a lot to show a good performance.”

Holly Lawrence is on deck to defend the crown she won last year on the Sunshine Coast. While the British athlete remains undefeated over the 70.3 distance since her championship win, she admits her preparation has not been optimal. “After a little setback with a foot issue I haven’t had the ideal prep being sidelined from running for a few weeks. But I’m pleased to be healthy and can’t wait to be on the start line on Saturday battling it out with the best!”

Gomez is back on the world championship starting line to retake the title after missing last year’s edition recovering from a broken elbow that had also taken him out of contention for the Rio Olympics. “I am very excited to race the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, which is my main goal of the year,” says the Spaniard. “I hope the hard training will be reflected on race day.”

Toeing the start line alongside Gomez is Brent McMahon, who has sealed qualification for Kona and is now focused on doing well over the shorter distance. “I’ve recovered from my Lake Placid effort and have put some good work in to prep for the 70.3 World Champs,” he says. “It’s been good to get up on the toes after focusing on two Ironmans through May, June, and July.”

Mikel Calahorra rounds out the Bahrain Endurance presence in Chattanooga this weekend.

Meanwhile, Ben Hoffman is at Ironman 70.3 Santa Cruz for a hit-out in the lead-up to Kona. He took the third spot on the podium there last year and is looking to improve on that finish. He says, “Excited to take a little breather from the Ironman training grind. Training has been going well, and I am looking forward to racing hard against a strong field of athletes on a scenic course. I know the area well after racing there last year, and it will be a good test ahead of my final Kona preparations.”

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Lauren Parker Leads Bahrain Victorious 13’s Medal Haul at World Championships

Lauren Parker Leads Bahrain Victorious 13’s Medal Haul at World Championships

The Bahrain Victorious 13 captured an impressive medal haul at the World Triathlon Championships in Wollongong, Australia this weekend.

Lauren Parker led the campaign, winning two medals including her fifth paratriathlon world title.

The paratriathlon races opened the elite competition on Saturday, where Parker once again proved untouchable. She led from the front, exiting the 750-metre swim first, hammering the 20-kilometre handbike leg with the day’s fastest split, and then powering through the 5-kilometre wheelchair run to cross the line 70 seconds clear of her nearest rival.

Unbeaten all year, Parker’s home victory carried extra meaning as she reclaimed the crown she relinquished last season.

“Everyone was so supportive out there and it definitely made me push a little bit harder,” Parker said post-race. “I wanted to get back on top again and I really worked hard for this one and I’m just happy to get it done.”

She also revealed her next sporting ambition: to qualify for the Winter Paralympic Games, with ongoing training in cross-country skiing and biathlon.

On Sunday, Parker added to her tally with a silver medal in the Para Mixed Relay World Championships, helping the Australian team to a podium finish.

In the men’s elite race, Vasco Vilaça placed fifth to secure the overall World Triathlon Championship Series bronze medal, returning to the world podium for the first time since earning silver at the one-day championship in Hamburg in 2020.

Emma Lombardi also delivered a standout performance, claiming bronze in the women’s race – her best finish of the season – and vaulting seven places to 11th overall in the Series standings. She swam into the pointy end on the 1.5-kilometre swim alongside compatriot Cassandre Beaugrand, then attacked on the 40-kilometre bike to lead onto the 10-kilometre run where she battled against the eventual winner and series champion Lisa Tertsch and a hard-charging Bianca Seregni to hold onto the final spot on the podium.

Beaugrand, who had stayed in the lead pack throughout the swim and bike, was forced to withdraw on the run to conclude her season ranked seventh overall.

The results in Wollongong wrap up the Bahrain Victorious 13’s short course season. The team now turns its attention to middle distance racing with the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, Spain and Ironman 70.3 Bahrain on the horizon, as well as the T100 Tour’s final two stops in Dubai and Qatar.

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Kat Matthews Runs to Silver and a Record Finish in Kona

Kat Matthews Runs to Silver and a Record Finish in Kona

Kat Matthews led the charge for the Bahrain Victorious 13 on Saturday, taking her third IRONMAN World Championship silver medal at the historic final all-women’s race in Kona, Hawaii. The British star also set a new run course record on the way to her first-ever...

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