Abu Dhabi: Defending ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi champion Mario Mola has welcomed the expectations foisted upon him ahead of Saturday’s event, boldly declaring: “I like people to expect great things from me, it means I am doing well.”
Mola will be one of 130 of the world’s fastest triathletes striving to earn the first world rankings points of the year as they begin their final preparations for this summer’s Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
Last year, Abu Dhabi joined the eight-race World Triathlon Series (WTS) calendar and became the first Middle East city to host a WTS event.
This year, the UAE capital is one of only four WTS events left for athletes to earn Olympic qualification points as they battle through the challenging 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run overlooking the Corniche.
The elite men will compete first on Saturday with six of the world’s top 10 on the Abu Dhabi start list. Topping the list is Mola, who stormed to a gold medal last year when he broke away from a small, three-man pack in the final kilometres.
In his final push, the Spaniard recorded the fastest 5km run split in WTS history, a record he maintained until he beat it himself later that year.
“It all started here,” Mola, who finished 19th at the London 2012 Games, told a pre-event press conference at the Khalidiya Hotel on Thursday. “Things are going well. You can train but then you want to see things happen, and so far I am very happy with where I am at and my performance.
“I like people to expect great things from me because it means I am doing well. We will see how things roll into the Olympics but I am looking forward to having a great day out there on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Richard Murray had a phenomenal 2015 season and will be bidding to continue his streak as he looks ahead to Rio 2016.
Ranked fourth in the world, he earned the bronze medal in Abu Dhabi last season and is enthusiastic about starting his final Olympic preparations in the UAE, “Last year was a great first adventure, this year it’s familiar and I am excited to come here and race again,” he said.
The men will get the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi underway at 1.06pm on Saturday, while the women will follow at 4.06pm with an equally jam-packed start list full of talent.
For the first time in over three years, the women’s 2012 London Olympic podium will meet again in a race when they line up on the Abu Dhabi start line.
Reigning Olympic gold medallist Nicola Spirig (SUI) is making her first season WTS appearance this weekend. The Baku European Games champion, she has already qualified for her fourth Olympic Games. However, her podium mates in London have yet to seal their fate. After two years of injury, Olympic silver medallist Lisa Norden (SWE) lines up with Rio on her mind, as does Olympic bronze medallist Erin Densham (AUS).
Host partner Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) is looking ahead to an exhilarating weekend with triathlon’s superstars.
“The positive response we’ve received from the ITU, the elite athletes and the age-group athletes following last year’s event has been fantastic and this weekend will once again deliver a world-class event that encourages elite athletes and age-group participants from all over the world to take part year after year.” said Aref Al Awani, General Secretary, ADSC.
The Race Village at the Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club on the Corniche Breakwater is open on Friday and Saturday from 7am to 6pm.
It is a spectator-friendly venue with a 1,000-seater grandstand, a bike park, a ‘Friends and Family’ area, refreshment kiosks and a kids’ zone, from where families and friends can cheer on competitors.
Over the weekend, there will be a junior triathlon, aquathlon, sprint, relay, standard and maxi-distance events, giving over 2,200 amateur age-groupers the perfect test of their mettle.
