Abu Dhabi: Tyler Butterfield of Bermuda thrived in the sweltering heat and stunned some of the best in business to clinch the men’s elite long course race at the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon here are on Saturday.
He finished the course in 6hrs 43min exactly. Second place was bagged by Bas Diederen of Belgium at 47 seconds, while Frenchman Sylvain Sudrie was third 2min 5sec behind the winner. Defending champion and Ironman Frederik van Lierde of Belgium had to be content with fourth place.
The women’s elite long course title was retained by Australia’s Mellissa Hauschildt in 7:24:50, 22 seconds ahead of Yvonne van Vlerken of the Netherlands and 6:49 in front of Michelle Vesterby of Denmark.
Earlier, Olympic medallists Alistair and Jonny Brownlee were in a class of their own and the duo crossed the finish line together virtually unchallenged to share top honours in the elite men’s short course race.
The British brothers chose not to take their contest into a sprint finish and made it to the line holding the Yorkshire flag, clocking 3hrs 12min 21sec.
London 2012 gold medallist Alistair afterwards revealed that the duo were recovering from a stomach bug and so didn’t want to over-exert themselves in the race to the line.
“Well we both decided not to push because of the bug. However, we were competing all the way through and working together, which was nice. I would like to think that I could have beaten Jonny for sure had we competed to the end,” he joked.
Swiss athlete Ruedi Wild took third place 4:38 behind the winners.
