Two days after the African Championships, the Asian Championships over the Olympic distance took place in Hatsukaichi, Japan. Sunday’s racing also came two weeks after the Asian Championships over the Sprint distance were held in Dexing. Both Sprint champions took to the start line in Japan, although they were up against the defending Asian champions over the Olympic distance from 2023.
Men’s race
Takumi Hojo set a fast tempo early on in the water and emerged with the lead in 18:05. A few seconds later, Kenji Nener exited in 18:08. The reigning champion was a month removed from claiming a maiden World Cup medal in Hong Kong and so was looking to build upon his promising start to the season.
Ren Sato (18:20) and Robin Elg (18:23) were behind the two leaders like rest of field. Neither would make up any meaningful time in T1. Nevertheless, sterling work on the bike Sato and Elg them catch the leading Japanese duo to create a front pack of four. That group would manage to stay away over the 40km as they distance the rest of the field.
With three Japanese athletes in the front pack, there was a clear chance threat of a podium sweep for the home team. Elg, though, rode well to keep himself in contention. Hopes of the home sweep in Hatsukaichi were also thwarted as Sato would later not finish on the run.
In the end, Nener could not be matched on the run. He clocked the fastest split of day (31:19) to win in style. Having defended his continental title, his attentions will turn to his home WTCS race in Yokohama where he will look to take the next step in his extremely promising 2024 season.
Hojo held on for 2nd place, building upon the Sprint distance silver medal he earned in Dexing. Further back, Junjie Fan, the Asian Sprint champion, and Yunxiang Ma, a medallist in Dexing, were flying. Both passed Elg on the 10km and had to settle the bronze medal. Fan ultimately came out on top and completed the podium.
Women’s race
The start of the women’s race almost perfectly resembled the men’s event. Yifan Yang got off to a fast start in the water and stretched the field. It was Yuko Takahashi, the defending champion, that took the lead into T1. Takahashi clocked 18:43 to Yang’s 18:45; unlike the men’s race, the two leaders had a half minute advantage to play with.
Exiting the water some 45 seconds behind the leaders, Xinyu Lin was in a bind. She had to choose whether to stick or twist and the bike and she opted for the later. A brutal surge of pace saw her pull away from the scattered collection of chasers and put her on the trail of Yang and Takahashi. After a bold ride, Lin was eventually able to ride up to the two leaders.
With three at the front, and arguably the three best riders in the field all in the group, the leaders set about creating an insurmountable lead. Lin would take the top bike split of the day (1:08:10) as the trio put over 90 seconds into the chasers.
As was the case in the men’s race, the defending champion proved too strong on the run. Takahashi ran clear and took the win on the back of a field-leading run split (35:55). Lin would hold on for 2nd place while Yang would claim 3rd place in a repeat of the 2023 podium.
After yet another triumph in Asia, it remains to be seen if anyone will be able to beat Takahashi at the Asian Championships in the future.
You can view the full results here.
