Rising British Star Swallow Gets Fourth at Triathlon World Cup Finale
Sunday, 2nd December 2007
Jodie Swallow of Great Britain was the top Brit across the line at the 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup Series finale in Israel today. Swallow just missed the podium, finishing fourth. This was Swallow's second fourth place in as many races, showing her improvement and potential for the 2008 Beijing Olympic team. Her team-mate Oliver Freeman was the top finishing man today, with a seventh.
Swiss Nicola Spirig capped off her 2007 season in style, winning the first world cup of her career today in the women's competition. Juri Ide of Japan came across the line in second place, also notching her first world cup medal. Coming back from a lower leg injury, Australian Annabel Luxford took the bronze, her 16th trip to the world cup podium. Swallow was only 5 seconds back in fourth.
Hirokatsu Tayama of Japan, last year's Asian Champion, won the men's competition of the 2007 Eilat BG Triathlon World Cup, claiming the first world cup gold ever for the island nation. Ukrainian Volodymyr Polikarpenko was 46 seconds behind Tayama for the silver, while Russian phenom Alexander Brukhankov came across the line for the bronze. Freeman was a minute and 17 seconds back in seventh with fellow Brit Richard Stannard right behind in eighth.
Source: ITU
More info: www.triathlon.org