Flora Duffy and Kristian Blummenfelt have become the first triathletes to be crowned Olympic and world champions in the same year.
Duffy, 33, from Bermuda, finished third in the World Triathlon Championships Series final in Edmonton, Canada – enough to crown her world champion
Norway’s Blummenfelt, 27, later won the men’s race to match his female counterpart’s historic achievement.
Britain’s Alex Yee finished third in the men’s overall standings.
The Olympic silver medallist, who was also part of Britain’s gold medal-winning team triathlon quartet in Tokyo, led the standings heading into Saturday’s final event.
However an 11th-placed finish in Edmonton meant he had to be satisfied with bronze.
“Today wasn’t my best day,” he said. “I didn’t swim well enough. But I gave it everything, fought to the end and luckily got to hold onto the podium with these great guys.”
Blummenfelt, who started the day just behind Yee in the standings, was strong throughout and produced a time of one hour 44:14 – almost a minute faster than his Olympic gold medal-winning performance.
“It’s been a really good year,” he said. “It’s been tough. My body was smashed, so I’m happy.”
He sprinted across the line narrowly in front of Belgium’s Marten Van Riel, who also finished the series in second place.
American Taylor Knibb won Saturday’s women’s race in one hour 57:47, meaning she too finished second overall.
She could not overhaul Duffy, who said: “It was a very hard race. I had a pretty mediocre swim.
“It’s very hard to come and try to do this series off the back of winning the Olympics.”
Duffy, who won Bermuda’s first Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020, previously won the world title in 2016 and 2017.
Great Britain’s Sophie Coldwell ended this season fifth in the overall standings, with compatriot Non Stanford ninth.
In the men’s event, Britain’s Jonathan Brownlee – not competing in Edmonton – came 15th overall.
Story courtesy of The BBC.COM / SPORT
https://www.bbc.com/sport/triathlon/58295206
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