NEWS

Hungary hosts - Hungary dominates

By Paul Groves | 12 Jul, 2016

The town of Tiszaújváros has been filled with athletes for a couple of weeks now. With activities focussed on the swim / bike / run there was also a full programme of sporting and musical events to keep everyone happy and very busy.

John Petrides, the British Technical Delegate who had been appointed by ITU for the entire period, summed it all up, “Fantastic 2 weeks of racing. 16 Semi-finals, 6 Finals, 1 Relay. The Relay had the biggest field in the world for last 5 years. Well done Athletes. I hope you all achieved your goals. To the officials, thanks for putting up with me. To the LOC, thanks for working tirelessly on venue. Last but not least thanks to Judit for being a great host.”

The Junior athletes followed the same schedule as the Elites. A semi-final to select the fastest and then a final for the medals and points.

From the first Junior Women semi-final, 16 athletes (14 from rank and 2 as they were the next fastest) went through.

The swim saw a lead established by a visiting Australian, Grace Hoitink and Therese Feuersinger from Austria. A leading group of nine athletes would deliver the two fastest athletes and it was a stunning run from Azerbaijan’s Daryna Moskalenko who was clearly hoping for an improvement on her 2015 performance in Tizzy. A bronze last year in Tulcea suggested her racing had been improved. Her run was by no means the fastest but her race worked out perfectly. With just a stride, she took first place. Behind her came Lina Völker GER and Anne Struijk AUT.

The second semi-final saw 14 athletes go through. The swim was smashed by Dorka Putnóczki. A comfortable 23 seconds advantage allowed her time to take things easy in T1. The nine-strong Hungarian team looked strong at the front end with 4 of them out and running to transition in the first ten.

Flóra Bicsák HUN, although not in the leading group put of the water, nevertheless had a solid bike and then pushed with the fastest run split to take a very comfortable 1st place ahead of South Africa’s Maude Elaine Le Roux. Dóra Fuchs led Putnóczki over the line. It looked like the Hungarian team had a good chance in the final.

The men would have three semi-finals to decide who would get to the final. We predicted that one or both of the Lehmann brothers would be out in the lead and sure enough it was Bence Lehmann who led the swim on the first semi-final.

He was one of the 9 athletes (by rank) and 1 athlete (by time) qualified for the final. Second fastest was Germany’s Anton Schiffer, with third place being taken by Valerio Cattabriga.

The second Semi—final saw the main threat to the Lehmann brothers - a South African, Nicholas Quenet. His position in the swim placed him 5 seconds behind the leader, Botond Karai HUN and fellow Hungarian Gergő Soós. It was Quenet and Karai who pushed hardest on the run to take 1st and 2nd place, with Soós taking 3rd. 9 athletes (by rank) qualified for the final and it looked as if the Hungarian team, runners up in the 2015 Junior European Rankings Nations Standings, would be boosting their points significantly this weekend.

The third semi-final was to be the chance for Csongor Lehmann to show his strength. He was one of five Hungarian athletes in the top ten and was following Germany’s Jonas Osterholt out of the water and into T1. Franco Pesavento ITA was tucked in nicely and with his run pace, he would be hoping for a top five finish. A stunning performance on the bike by Csaba Majoros moved him up to a strong position for the final run and from this semi-final 9 athletes (by rank),  2 athletes (by time) and 1 athlete (by roll down) qualified for the final. The race was won by Osterholt, with Pesavento second and Majoros in third.

Moving on to the finals and it was hardly surprising that Putnóczki led the women out of the water. All she had to do, was to hold on to the slim advantage. Once again, Austria’s Feuersinger was strong in the water and on the bike but behind them, Tünde Bukovszki HUN was gearing up for a fast run. Her final run took everyone by surprise and her victory was as exciting to watch as the sprint for the silver and bronze.

As Bukovszki crossed the line, there was a tremendous battle going on behind her and with Moskalenko and Putnóczki.

Officials had cameras, timing chips and witnesses on the line but it was impossible to separate them and so, with identical finish times, they were both awarded a silver medal. This made the podium quite a unique one.

With five athletes in the top ten, it is clear that the Hungarian Triathlon Federation / Magyar Triatlon Szövetség has an exciting future.

For the men, it was Hungary from the start that set the pace. Bence Lehmann and Soós led the swim with Quenet and Pesavento in contention. The bike saw a strong peloton make its way around the course. The run was where Soós excelled.

His run split was the fastest but racing behind him and just losing out was the young Israeli athlete, Yoav Avigdor.

Pesavento had just enough pace to keep Bence Lehmann off the podium but five athletes in the top ten, the Junior Men equalled the performance of their female team-mates.

So ended a spectacular “Ten days in Tizzy”. Of all foundations that we have seen being created in our sport, this Youth Festival leading to the Junior European Cup has been the most impressive. With a tried and tested course, managed by a professional and dedicated team and with the enthusiasm and determination of the young athletes, the future of triathlon and of triathlon development in Europe looks strong indeed.

If you have some spare time (you will need at least 5 hours) then sit down, relax and watch this unedited feed.


Article gallery
Related Event: 2016 Tiszaujvaros ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup
09 - Jul, 2016 • event pageall results
Results: Junior Men
1. Gergő Soós HUN 00:37:53
2. Yoav Avigdor ISR 00:37:58
3. Franco Pesavento ITA 00:38:02
4. Bence Lehmann HUN 00:38:09
5. Jonas Osterholt GER 00:38:16
6. Nicholas Quenet RSA 00:38:18
7. Botond Karai HUN 00:38:25
8. Balázs Kovács HUN 00:38:32
9. Csaba Majoros HUN 00:38:35
10. Oliver Gorges LUX 00:38:37
Results: Junior Women
1. Tünde Bukovszki HUN 00:41:50
2. Daryna Moskalenko UKR 00:42:03
2. Dorka Putnóczki HUN 00:42:03
4. Kristina Jesenska SVK 00:42:11
5. Sara Guerrero Manso ESP 00:42:20
6. Lina Völker GER 00:42:23
7. Dorottya Petrov HUN 00:42:25
8. Therese Feuersinger AUT 00:42:36
9. Flóra Bicsák HUN 00:42:45
10. Ilka Jakab HUN 00:42:52
Results: Semifinal 1 Junior Men
1. Bence Lehmann HUN 00:37:55
2. Anton Schiffer GER 00:38:01
3. Valerio Cattabriga ITA 00:38:07
4. Tjebbe Kaindl AUT 00:38:11
5. Dylan Nortje RSA 00:38:17
6. Oscar Coggins HKG 00:38:24
7. Luka Paliska CRO 00:38:26
8. Hennadii Anzin UKR 00:38:37
9. Ákos Fróna HUN 00:38:39
10. András Kanyik HUN 00:38:43
Results: Semifinal 2 Junior Men
1. Nicholas Quenet RSA 00:37:54
2. Botond Karai HUN 00:37:58
3. Gergő Soós HUN 00:38:00
4. Balázs Kovács HUN 00:38:01
5. Yoav Avigdor ISR 00:38:09
6. Oliver Gorges LUX 00:38:10
7. Carlos Oliver Vives ESP 00:38:17
8. Leon Pauger AUT 00:38:26
9. Youri Keulen NED 00:38:35
10. Jamie Riddle RSA 00:39:14
Results: Semifinal 3 Junior Men
1. Jonas Osterholt GER 00:37:44
2. Franco Pesavento ITA 00:37:49
3. Csaba Majoros HUN 00:37:56
4. Csongor Lehmann HUN 00:38:01
5. Attila Arany HUN 00:38:02
6. Luka Grgorinic CRO 00:38:03
7. Lukas Gstaltner AUT 00:38:04
8. Ábel Ferencz HUN 00:38:10
9. Ben De La Porte RSA 00:38:20
10. Milán Tóth HUN 00:38:41
Results: Semifinal 1 Junior Women
1. Daryna Moskalenko UKR 00:41:53
2. Lina Völker GER 00:41:54
3. Anne Struijk AUT 00:41:58
4. Dorottya Petrov HUN 00:42:00
5. Sara Guerrero Manso ESP 00:42:01
6. Kristina Jesenska SVK 00:42:02
7. Grace Hoitink AUS 00:42:03
8. Tjasa Vrtacic SLO 00:42:08
9. Therese Feuersinger AUT 00:42:12
10. Tünde Bukovszki HUN 00:42:29