At the first African Cup in almost two months, a global field took to the start line to compete over the Sprint distance in Monastir, Tunisia.
For several of the home athletes, it provided a valuable racing opportunity ahead of the looming African Championships. For those from further afield, Monastir offered invaluable points towards the world rankings.
In both the men’s and women’s races, the winner came away with their first gold medal of the season.
Men’s race
Julian Piller got the race off to a brisk start as he led the 750m swim ahead of Baptiste Massot. Fabian Kraft of Germany was the next man out alongside Jack Staples and Jan Diener.
Kraft, Staples and Diener then joined Piller and Massot to form the crux of the lead group. Kraft and Diener were quick to organise themselves and made the most of their initial lead.
Over the first of the four bike laps, the two Germans pushed the pace and tried to distance the field. At the same time, Piller of Austria rode well.
As the 20km progressed, Diener and Massot proved the strongest of the leaders and rode authoritatively. Meanwhile, Kraft and Staples stuck to their task and continued to gain time on the chasers.
Once onto the run, Staples slipped behind. After working hard on the bike, Piller also did not have the legs on the run. That left Diener, Massot and Kraft to settle the medals.
Over the 5km, Diener was too strong for his rivals. He clocked a 15:53 split to take the win by 14 seconds. Massot was the next man home, having run 16:08, while Kraft took the bronze medal 11 seconds later.
Monastir represented the first international win of Diener’s career. Buoyed by his performance, he will be back in North Africa in a few weeks to tackle the Tangier World Cup.
Women’s race
A clinical display saw Tanja Stroschneider earn her first win of the season. Indeed, it was her first victory since she took gold at the African Cup in Kilifi last November.
The Austrian was the fastest swimmer, clocking 9:57 for the 750m. The Italian duo of Carlotta Bonacina and Adelaide Anna Badini Confalonieri followed on her feet and nipped ahead of Stroschneider in T1. Once onto the bike, the three leaders tried to make the most of their slim early advantage.
A surge from Luna De Bruin saw her reduce the gap while Katharina Möller, Sarah McClure and Denise Cavallini were also closing. Once De Bruin joined the leaders, she begin to lift the tempo. Gradually, she pulled clear with Stroschneider and Badini Confalonieri. The gap to the quartet behind remained small but it was there nonetheless.
Throughout the bike, the two space between the two groups ebbed and flowed as seconds were traded here and there. Towards the end of the bike, the leaders began to gain more of a gap as Stroschneider asserted herself. As they arrived into T2, though, the leaders had not yet quelled the chase.
Bonacina proved the most dangerous runner of the chasers and set after the leaders. However, Stroschneider had already extended the deficit.
The Austrian pulled away from her rivals and dropped the only sub-18 minute split of the day (17:57) to seal victory. With the best swim, best run and third fastest bike, she was more than a worthy recipient of the gold medal.
Badini Confalonieri – still a Junior athlete – was the next to cross the line, 20 seconds behind. She therefore claimed a maiden Senior international medal. De Bruin was then able to hold off Bonacina to seal 3rd place.
View the full results here.
