Going into the men’s race at the Huatulco World Cup, the most important athlete from a Dutch perspective was Mitch Kolkman. As Kolkman stepped onto the start line, he held an Olympic qualification ranking of 146th. After the antics of the Dutch Mixed Team Relay on Friday, in which they secured Olympic qualification by finishing 2nd in Huatulco, Kolkman needed break into the top-140. Failure to do so would mean the Dutch team would have to decline the Olympic relay spot they had worked so hard to secure.
When the gone went off in the men’s race, then, Kolkman had to finish in or around the top-20.
World Cup medallist Diego Moya was the fastest of the swimmers, clocking 9:15 for the 750m. The reigning World Junior champion Joao Nuno Batista impressed as he and Henri Schoeman were the next men out in 9:16. On the bike, Schoeman would then lead a brief break with Sebastian Wernersen and Brock Hoel. However it was another youngster that stepped up to entertain during the second discipline.
Like Batista, Pelayo Gonzalez Turrez is in his first season out of the Junior ranks and he launched a bold solo attack in the second half of the 20km bike. For a spell, he extended his lead beyond 10 seconds. Just before T2, the main pack had all but caught Gonzalez but he nonetheless showed plenty of strength on two wheels.
Throughout the bike, Richard Murray had sought to protect his teammate Kolkman and the two men arrived into transition together. Both were swift through the changeover and Murray led Kolkman out onto the run.
Within the first couple of hundred metres, the Dutch pair pulled clear of the field and looked as if they were about to celebrate a 1-2 and Olympic qualification in style. And then, Kolkman’s greatest ally double-crossed him. Murray was simply too fast on the run and before Kolkman could say “Et tu, Brute?” he dropped his teammate. (It should be noted that given Kolkman’s position on the road, Murray’s decision to run for the win and not pace him to the line was entirely reasonable as Olympic qualification was locked up.)
Over the past couple of years, Murray has not quite been at the heights for which he has previously been known, particularly since a heart condition waylaid him. Nevertheless, he turned back the clock as he ran to an imperious victory in Huatulco. His gold medal was his first on the world scene in years and, perhaps more importantly to him, his first under the Dutch colours.
Murray’s perfect weekend was later capped by Kolkman coming home in 9th place to guarantee Olympic qualification.
While Murray provided a blast from the past at the front, a pair of youngsters were bounding after him. In the race preview, we noted one of the rising youngsters like Batista or Mathis Beaulieu might surprise and take a medal. In the end, both Beaulieu and Batista put themselves in the hunt.
Erwin Vanderplancke had led the chase of Murray for much of the run but a perfectly paced effort from Beaulieu saw him overhaul the Belgian athlete and seal the silver medal. As an indicator of Beaulieu’s inexperience, he had tattooed his race numbers upside down on his arms. Still, that did not stop him from claiming the fastest run split of the day in 14:45 and showed that he will probably be a key athlete to watch in the future.
John Reed, the 2023 Americas champion, then followed to earn a maiden World Cup medal in 3rd place while Vanderplancke took 4th. Coming in behind the Belgian athlete was Batista, putting two of the youngest men in the field in the top-5. Based on Batista’s showing, it would be no surprise if he matches Beaulieu’s medal sooner rather than later.
As such, while Huatulco belonged to Murray and the Dutch team, it also offered a clear sign that a new generation of triathletes may be knocking on the door in the near future.
View the full results here.
