Australian triple world champion Emma Snowsill made light of searing heat as she ran a blistering road race to win the Olympic women’s triathlon by more than a minute yesterday.
The pint-sized Snowsill, who missed the Australian team for 2004, burned off fierce rival Vanessa Fernandes of Portugal in the final section to close in 1 hour, 58 minutes, 27 seconds, a gap of 1 minute, 6 seconds. Australia’s Emma Moffatt took bronze.
Snowsill, 27, had such a commanding lead that she took time to celebrate with fans down the final straight, beaming and waving the Australian flag as she crossed the line.
PHOTO: AFP
“I didn’t feel awesome,” she said. “It was extremely hard, it was hot. I think it was a great course for a triathlon. It was a really tough course.”
The victory is redemption for 1.61m “Snowy” who was overlooked for Athens 2004, but has since collected Commonwealth gold and her second and third world titles, with nine World Cup series wins along the way.
Australia has won two silver medals through Michelle Jones and Loretta Harrop, but no golds since triathlon was added to the Olympic roster at Sydney 2000.
PHOTO: AFP
“I feel very proud and honored to be an Australian with a gold medal around my neck at the Olympic Games,” Snowsill said. “I believe we came so close in Sydney and Athens that this makes up for those very close defeats.”
Snowsill has also overcome the trauma of losing her boyfriend and fellow triathlete Luke Harrop in a hit-and-run training accident at the age of 19.
Last year, she was staggered to be diagnosed with asthma, raising concerns about her ability to compete in Beijing’s notorious smog.
PHOTO: EPA
“Lessons learned through life are there not necessarily for good or bad reasons, you just have to take them as they are and move on,” she said. “I think triathlon is a passion. I’ve really put my heart and soul into it and every ounce of energy, so I’m very lucky to be able to do that and to be here.”
Sarah Haskins hit the front early in the Ming Tomb Reservoir swim, but the athletes were tightly bunched at the first change, with American teammate Laura Bennett narrowly landing first in 19 minutes, 49 seconds.
An eight-bike pile-up at the end of lap five dashed the hopes of Canada’s Laura Groves and Russia’s Irina Abysova as riders careered over the barrier and into each other at the hairpin stadium turn.
Moffatt led the standings after the bike race at 1 hour, 24 minutes, 38 seconds, but Snowsill was off like a shot as she opened up a 15-second lead on Fernandes by the end of the first 2.5km lap and doubled her advantage by the halfway stage.
Snowsill took a wrong turn going into the stadium at the end of lap three, but could afford to make mistakes with her lead already stretched to nearly a minute.
Australian-born defending champion Olympic Kate Allen of Austria finished 14th, while British world champion Helen Tucker came in 21st.
The 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run was held at the scenic Ming Tomb Reservoir near Beijing in hot but clear conditions with temperatures reaching about 25ºC.
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