Championship celebrations continued for Terenzo Bozzone as he claimed the Ironman 70.3 Middle East crown, his second consecutive victory in a week.
Known as triathlon’s golden boy, the31-year-old from New Zealand recently brought smiles to his Bahrain Endurance team’s faces when he clinched his first long distance win at Ironman title in Bussleton, Western Australia, smashing the men’s course record with a sub-8 hour finish in7:51:25.
He was more than four minutes clear of the previous record set last year at this race and achieved the 12th-fastest Ironman-distance finish time in history.
His success followed him across the finishline in Bahrain, a feat he has been trying to achieve for the past two years.
Bozzone said: “Winning is always fun and now it’s two in a row. It is great. I wasn’t sure what to expect coming in to the race after winning Ironman last week in Australia. I knew my legs would be a little bit sore but as the week went on they felt better and better and I just went out there to win it.
“A few people said to me not to worry as I won Ironman last week. Even our team captain, Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad AlKhalifa, told me not to worry about racing and to just go out there and intimidate everyone.
“But I wanted to compete and see what happens, especially as I had planned on racing in Bahrain for the past two years and was too sick to stand on the starting line. To be able to take the victory makes it even sweeter.
“To be able to win this championship in Bahrain is a great victory to my resume and a great way for the team to finish the year as well. Crossing that finish line was just a dream come true.”
Locally-based teammate Eric Watson led the1.9-kilometre swim leg taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay in24:58 but Bozzone quickly made up the nine-second gap out of the water on the bike, out-splitting his opponents in a race-best 1:56:48 over the blustery 90-kilometre cycle course. His teammate Aussie Sam Appleton was in hot pursuit just under five minutes behind him off the bike in second place.
Bozzone said: “I knew if I got a bit of a gap on the bike heading onto the run that would be a smart move and especially with the wind I managed to work my lead up to almost five minutes coming up to the bike which was probably the buffer I needed because this was going to behard-charging Steffen Justus’s last professional race and I knew he’d beleaving everything out there on the course.
“To be honest though, at about 16kilometres, my legs really started hurting. I could feel the Ironman settling in them. I wasn’t prepared to have gone through the three-and-a-half hours and not cross the finish line as first place. I gave it everything and started sprinting with three kilometres to go and I figured if I blew up well at leastI gave it my all. I had to find another gear and Shaikh Nasser was a great inspiration for me.”
Shaikh Nasser, the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport Chairman, Bahrain Olympic Committee President and Royal Charity Organisation Chief, unfortunately had to pull out of the triathlon during the cycle leg due to a crash. However, that didn’t stop the Shaikh from leading histeam to victory as he sped alongside them on a moped.
Bozzone said: “Shaikh Nasser yelled at me from out there on the course saying ‘Pain is temporary and victory is forever. Come on keep going.’
“Unfortunately, he crashed his bike when it broke in half with the wind gusts. I really wanted to try and push and try and get the win for him and the team.”
The Kiwi hung onto his lead with a 1:15:16half-marathon to finish ahead of Justus of Germany, who overtook Appleton withthe day’s fastest run split to end up in a Bahrain Endurance sandwich.
Meanwhile, his teammates David Plesefinished in fifth and Fredrik Croneborg placed ninth.
On another note, Australia’s Sarah Crowley took first place in the women’s category and Brit Emma Pallant came in second. Bahrain Endurance 13’s Swiss Caroline Steffen took third after leading out of the water in 28:54 and riding 2:15:58 against a headwind. She held the position running a sub-85 minute half-marathon past all but two women.
Last year’s female Ironman champion and Triple Crown winner, Daniela Ryf competed in the team relay alongside Javier Gomez, and Jan Frodeno.
Unfortunately, fellow triathletes Jodie and James Cunnama were unable to compete as they both had fallen ill with the fludays after their wedding.
Mrs Cunnama said: “It’s always a shame when you can’t race but it’s great to see the Bahrain Endurance team do so well. Congratulations to all.”
