TRIATHLON – BAHRAIN Victorious 13 athletes enjoyed another winning weekend, delivering medal hauls in top international events across Europe and North America.
At home in the UK, Kat Matthews claimed victory at Ironman 70.3 Swansea. It was her second win on the 2025 Ironman Pro Series, and it gave her maximum points to remain atop the rankings and put her in good standing to defend the series championship.
Matthews emerged from the 1.9-kilometre swim in seventh place, but made up a two-minute deficit to take the lead midway through the 90km bike leg. Matthews continued to push the pace and opened a two-minute buffer by the start of the run, crossing the finish line unchallenged in four hours 20 minutes and 37 seconds – over three minutes clear of the field and five minutes faster than her winning time from 2022.
Meanwhile, in Canada, Lauren Parker was back to her winning ways. The reigning Paralympic champion from Australia topped the podium at the World Triathlon Para Cup Magog, also logging the day’s fastest bike leg en route to the win. It marked her third consecutive victory this year following dominant performances in Yokohama and Devonport.
Parker now stays on in Canada targeting further back-to-back wins, lining up for the World Triathlon Para Series race in Montreal this coming weekend.
In Germany, Cassandre Beaugrand and Vasco Vilaca earned matching silver medals at the World Triathlon Championship Series Hamburg, with Emma Lombardi staging a strong comeback from injury to finish eighth in the women’s race.
Beaugrand, the world and Olympic champion, exited the 750-metre swim in third and rode in the lead group during the 20km bike leg. As the field condensed into a single pack on the final lap, she positioned herself perfectly to start the run near the front. Though ultimately passed by French compatriot Leonie Periault, Beaugrand held off a hard-charging Beth Potter to clinch second place. Twenty-five seconds behind, Lombardi clocked her first race finish of the 2025 season.
“I don’t know what happened to me for the first time, but when Leonie passed me, I didn’t have another gear,” said Beaugrand post-race. “I am happy that it was Leonie who beat me today.
“My goal was just to stay at the front on the bike, to avoid accidents, and I put a lot of energy on that.”
In the men’s race, Vilaca repeated his runner-up finish to Matt Hauser from last year to secure his fourth career silver in Hamburg. Despite rainy conditions, the Portuguese star exited the water just six seconds behind the leaders and stayed in the main bike pack of eleven athletes. On the run, it became a head-to-head battle with Hauser, who outkicked Vilaca in the final 800m.
Vilaca said: “I was feeling good beside him, but he was just too fast. I thought that after the U-turn I was going to go for it and sprint him, but I couldn’t. He really surprised me with another really strong kick, but so happy for him. I’m still looking for my first win.”
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