Potter grabs world triathlon title

MADRID — Britain’s Beth Potter won her first world title and a coveted slot in the 2024 Olympics after surging through on the run to win the women’s World Triathlon Championship Finals in Spain.

The 31-year-old was a touch off the pace during the swim and bike sections but delivered a great run to take gold ahead of fellow Briton Kate Waugh.

France’s Cassandre Beaugrand completed the podium as she edged out Germany’s Lisa Tertsch, who was forced to serve a 15-second penalty.

Potter’s title came on the back of a remarkable season, following an opening series win and now qualifying for her second Olympic Games having raced over 10,000 metres on the track in Rio de Janeiro.

She finished top of the overall standings with 4,559 points, ahead of French duo Beaugrand (4,411) and Emma Lombardi (3,793).

“This has been a dream season and I’m lost for words,” she said according to Reuters. “The Olympics in Paris was the goal and winning the World Championships is a bonus.

“I wasn’t going too good on the swim and bike so had to work harder. I felt better throughout the race, backed myself, believed in my training and was good on the run.”

“I wasn’t actually feeling too good on the swim and bike today so I had to work a bit hard and I tried to be as smart as possible and bide my time.

“I backed myself and believed in all my training and trusted my ability in that last 10k.

“The Olympics in Paris was the goal and winning the World Championships is a bonus.”

Potter competed for Great Britain in the 10,000m at the Rio Olympics, where she came 34th.

Potter, who outran Beaugrand in Paris to claim gold last month, set the early pace alongside compatriot Kate Waugh.

The French threat came not from Beaugrand but from her team-mate Emma Lombardi, who had her own world title aspirations, as the series leader failed to keep up with the Brit out in front.

Potter pushed the pace with compatriot Waugh alongside her, pulling further ahead of her main title challenger. By the final laps, she was all alone as she left the field in her wake to win the world championship crown by 18 seconds.

Waugh was able to claim the silver medal, her first at a World Triathlon Championship Series event, as Beaugrand finished a distant third. Coldwell ended the day seventh with Mathias 32nd on her return from injury.