Docherty Top Ten In Seoul, Second In World Champs Points

Bevan Docherty was the best of the Kiwis in the men’s race at the ITU Dextro Energy World Championship Series triathlon in Seoul today, but was unable to shake off the effects of a head cold in finishing 7th in a race won by Beijing Olympic Games gold medalist Jan Frodeno (GER).

Fellow Kiwi Kris Gemmell finished in 28th despite leading the field off the bike, but the Palmerston North triathlete just didn’t have the run in him today, dropping back through the field throughout the ten kilometre 4 lap course around the Seoul waterfront.

Frodeno repeated his sprinting heroics from Beijing as he ran around Australian Courtney Atkinson after the two had broken clear just past the midway point in the 10km run, spreading the field out behind them as they picked up the pace. Another Australian Brad Kahlefeldt was third 29 seconds behind the big German they call ‘Frodo’.

It was a welcome return for Frodeno after a crash on the bike robbed him of any chance in the first round in Sydney, won so impressively by Docherty. The field rode the majority of the 40km bike in one large group around the tight and technical course around the Seoul city centre before emerging in a mass of lycra and sunglasses onto the run course.

Today’s 7th by Docherty sees him drop just one place however in the overall World Championship Series points to second place behind Russian Alexander Brukhankov and in front of another Russian in Dmitry Polyansky in third.

It was generally a disappointing day for the New Zealanders with Martin van Barneveld and Clark Ellice well down the field.

Earlier Andrea Hewitt raced bravely to finish 5th in the women’s race and drop to third on the overall points. The women’s race review and results are available at www.triathlon.org.nz

The next round of the World Championship Series is not until Sunday June 6 when the athletes head to Europe and race in Madrid.

ENDS

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