Brown blasts in Mooloolaba to open run for Tokyo Olympics

Choosing to race the non-drafting, standard-distance event in Mooloolaba, Joanna Brown opened her 2020 season with an impressive win.

While the swim was shortened due to the threat of high winds, athletes were still able to get a swim done at today’s Mooloolaba triathlon. Carp, Ont.’s Joanna Brown took the women’s race in impressive style. Here’s what she had to say after her win:

“I decided to race the Mooloolaba Triathlon fairly last minute as we started hearing more and more talk of races being cancelled or suspended for a long period of time. I was really grateful that I might have a chance to race. After a good solid block of training in Australia, it turned out to be a good hard hit out and a chance to put everything together.”

“After breakfast with the squad that we have here, I headed down to the swim start and it was so nice and chilled. That is one thing about this race, you can tell everyone is super pumped to race and super excited, and I got in the water and was ready to go. The swim, bike and run courses were absolutely stunning and it was a great place to have a really good hit out. I love Mooloolaba, it is such a great place to be. I have been here a few times and not raced, so it is was really cool to come here and do the race and see what I could do.”

“The conditions on the bike were not easy with the headwind and you had to go really hard if you wanted to win. I was just really excited for the challenge. I wouldn’t say I felt good going onto the run, it is my first triathlon of the year, so it never feels good. I slogged it out for a couple of km and got into a rhythm and just pushed as hard as I could to the finish. It was nice to get the first win for the year, it always feels good to win a race and the competition was amazing, the support was excellent, so I am just so happy to come away with the win.”

“I have been working with the British squad in Burleigh Heads for the last six weeks training with Phil Clayton, ‘Clayto,’ learning about tides and body surfing. Being from Canada I don’t have any experience of the surf whatsoever, so it was really cool to learn as much as I could from him. I really did feel like a fish out of water, but I tried my best and I applied it to the race today for sure.”

“The plan right now is to head back home and we are just listening to our national federations and the ITU and doing the best that we can with the situation. Health is number one and I think everyone is making really good decisions. The goal is Tokyo and that is what we will keep aiming towards.”

 

Women’s Podium

1          Joanna BROWN         01:58:51          00:10:49          01:03:24            00:37:37

2          Kerry MORRIS            02:00:51          00:10:53          01:04:02            00:38:56

3          Kirralee SEIDEL         02:03:34          00:11:27          01:05:33            00:39:01

Men’s Podium

1          Max NEUMANN          01:44:54          00:10:58          00:56:25            00:31:42

2          Trent THORPE           01:47:02          00:11:02          00:56:40            00:33:25

3          Jonathan SAMMUT    01:47:48          00:10:56          00:56:25            00:34:26

With files from Noel McMahon, Ironman Media Manager, Oceania.