Jeremy Jurkiewicz (FRA) and Elizabeth Lyles (USA) took home wins today at Ironman Western Australia in Busselton.
Jurkiewicz, took to the front early with Australian Luke Bell (47:03), and after Bell dropped out of the race due to injury, Jurkiewicz continued on with a 4:29:17 ride to enter T2 with a 3:42 lead over Australian Matt Burton – who rode the top split of 4:25:25. From there, Jurkiewicz ran an untouchable 2:48:18 marathon to secure a dominant 8:08.15 victory. Germany’s Markus Thomschke came in next for second (8:16:01) and Australian David Dellow took third (8:19:10).
“It was a crazy race, I give all on the bike and after on the run I push and push and push and I win with a crazy time, I’m very, very happy,” Jurkiewicz said on Ironman.com. “I had a six-minute lead but I say to myself I push and push and push, I knew that I can do a good time so I pushed for the time.”
Top 10 Men
1. JURKIEWICZ, Jeremy 8:08:16
2. THOMSCHKE, Markus 8:16:01
3. DELLOW, David 8:19:10
4. ISRAEL, Todd 8:22:39
5. WHITE, Matty 8:25:29
6. BURTON, Matt 8:25:42
7. REITHMEIER, Alex 8:34:53
8. CRAWFORD, Guy 8:36:31
9. WILLIAMS, Benjamin 8:41:19
10. RIX, Josh 8:42:43
Lyles, who ran a course record time of 2:59:34 to grab her first career Ironman title at the 2012 Ironman Wisconsin, pulled off a similar come from behind performance today in Busselton.
Australia’s Lisa Marangon led the swim (54:10) and stayed in front until the 130 km mark where Germany’s Mareen Hufe wrestled the lead away. Hufe completed the ride with the top women’s split of 4:47:53, which put her 2:52 ahead of Marangon at T2. Meanwhile, Lyles sat 7:45 behind.
Lyles then showcased a dominant 3:00:37 marathon – close to 10 minutes faster than any other woman – to claim her second career Ironman title in 8:59:44. Hufe finished second (9:08:00), and Marangon third (9:19:29).
“It was a fantastic day. It is true what I have been told, that this Ironman is one of the best because of the crowd,” Lyles said during the Ironmanlive coverage. “I knew I could not give up too much time on the bike with some of the great bike runners in the field. I am the happiest I have been in my whole life.”
Top 10 Women
1. LYLES, Elizabeth 8:59:44
2. HUFE, Mareen 9:08:00
3. MARANGON, Lisa 9:19:29
4. FLANAGAN, Kira 9:20:42
5. BREMER, Michelle 9:25:58
6. BURKE, Melanie 9:27:08
7. WILLIS, Janine 9:30:09
8. JURJEVIC, Marina 9:30:26
9. FURNESS, Erin 9:33:20
10. BOYES, Michelle 9:36:54