New Olympic medal contenders surge into the picture with big wins in Yokohama

France’s Leonie Periault and America Morgan Pearson have put themselves into the Olympic triathlon medal picture thanks to huge wins at WTCS Yokohama. While Pearson was coming off an impressive 2023 campaign that saw him earn an automatic qualifying spot for the Paris Games at last year’s Test Event, Periault had struggled with injuries for much of last year, so today’s result could be the key to earning a berth on the French team alongside Cassandre Beaugrand and Emma Lombardi.

A “run for the ages”

Periault’s big win was the result of an impressive run – one the World Triathlon press release described as a “run for the ages.” After a brisk swim that saw some small groups get clear, but the return of Flora Duffy to the racing mix ensured the pace was high and a lead group of 14 hit transition, a minute up on the chase group. With an automatic berth on tap for any American in the top three, the fact that Taylor Spivey and Kirsten Kasper were in the lead group along with Taylor Knibb was huge as the other two potential Olympians, Summer Rappaport and Gwen Jorgensen were in the second and third groups, essentially putting them out of the automatic qualification window.

Out on the run course Knibb found herself having to recover from a slow transition, but it wasn’t long before Periault was making her mark on the race and pushing the pace at the front. By lap two it was becoming evident that she was on her way to gold, leaving Knibb and Lombardi to compete for the other two medals. Spivey was hanging just a few seconds back of the fight for the podium, but couldn’t get in the mix to contend for that automatic slot.

Periault would dominate through the rest of the way, taking gold in 1:52:28, with Knibb 36 seconds back in second and Lombardi rounding out the podium. Spivey kept her Olympic hopes very much alive with a solid fourth-place finish, while Kasper rounded out the top five.

Elite Women’s results

1.Leonie Periault FRA01:52:28

2.Taylor Knibb USA01:53:04

3.Emma Lombardi FRA01:53:08

4.Taylor Spivey USA01:53:25

5.Kirsten Kasper USA01:53:34

Canada’s Emy Legault took 27th, with Dominika Jamnicky finishing 31st.

Pearson becomes first American to win gold at WTCS race

A 29:11 10 km run was more than enough to give Pearson the men’s title, making him the first American male “to hit a top-tier podium since the start of the Series era,” according to World Triathlon.

A number of big names ended up crashing out of the race on the bike including France’s Dorian Coninx and Tom Richard, Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca and Canadian Tyler Mislawchuk. France’s Leo Bergere also went down, but was able to continue.

The crash would reduce the group of 50 as it headed into T2, but there was still  lots of firepower set to compete on the run. Pearson and Australian Luke Willian pressed the pace early, with the American pulling clear on the final lap to take the impressive win (1:42:05). Willian’s teammate Matt Hauser (1:42:12) would get past his countryman on the final lap to take the silver medal (Willian finished in 1:42:20), with Bergere regrouping enough to take fourth (1:42:26). Canada’s Charles Paquet had the race of his life to take fifth (1:42:30), guaranteeing his spot for the Paris Games.

You can see the full men’s results here.