Interview "People are surprised that I go up in the elevator"
The Spanish triathlon has that Olympic curse, as punished by the gods of a sport that spoke Spanish since it was born, which was not too long ago. They dominated it so much - eight of the last 13 world titles between
Javier Gómez Noya
and
Mario Mola
- that the Kenyans called them. But the Games, the impotence. Again in Tokyo, where no one could even come close to that Galician's London silver that remains as the only loot. , Beat
Kristian Blummenfelt
, flanked on the podium by
Alex Yee
and
Hayden Wilde
, silver and bronze.
From very early it was found that it was not going to be the day at the Odaiba Marina Park either, where a false start was the anecdote of the early morning. It was
Mario Mola
, eighth in Rio, the best national, but not even in his favorite sector was he seen in the fullness of not so long ago. He finished tenth, climbing handfuls of positions, but far from everything (1:09 behind the gold).
Fernando Alarza
, shortly after, twelfth, also from less to more. And Captain
Gómez Noya
, honoring a sport that is a legend, 25th at 38 years old, in his farewell to the Olympic distance. Now they await him the adventures and the honors in the Ironman that he postponed for this last Olympic dance to remove the thorn of his absence due to a fall in Rio.
The sun was rising in Tokyo with two arrowheads in the waters of the bay. The Olympic rings framing the spectacular picture. The clouds, which came and went, relieved the dreaded heat, for which the test was advanced until 6.30 in the morning. But still the water temperature was 29.9 degrees, an outrage. The first buoy broke the symmetry and
Jonathan Brownlee - he
finished with a worthy fifth place - took the forward with the Chilean
Diego Moya
. Beyond experts, water, the first element, is more a place not to lose more than to win. Avoid blows and cuts, keep forces protected in the inertia of a rival's feet.
And the transition to the bicycle, which triathletes mechanize as if they were robots to steal any second.
But something strange happens with the three Spaniards who, with that recognizable silver jumpsuit - a tribute to the initiatory world championship that
Iván Raña
conquered in 2002 -, arm together.
And too far back.
Few are used to swimming faster than
Gómez Noya
.
That only has one advantage, together, the trio can cut back on those 40 seconds wasted in bad water.
A sport as individual as triathlon made brotherhood.
And that's what they get, when nine of the favorites sharpen their teeth at the head.
Among them the mighty
Vincent Luis
, but also the British with Brownlee and that 23-year-old bullet that is
Alex Yee
.
The nine samurais do not achieve their purpose.
On the fourth lap, the platoon commanding the Australians neutralized.
And in the third group, the Spaniards, who travel with
Gustav Iden
among others
, cut back until they join before the fifth, with at least a few minutes to catch their breath.
A good hot flash.
Was it worth it?
Because the last turns before running on foot are pure adrenaline.
Whipping and war for positions, as if it were a sprint of the Tour.
At every turn there is a scare that could ruin everything.
That's why Mola takes a gel under the sound of the bell, while advancing positions in the platoon of 31 crazy passengers.
And yet it follows behind.
And they are still together.
They decided to die hand in hand.
Too soon, again, the absence of forces in the Spanish is sensed, in which the Talaverano Alarza takes the lead, 20 seconds behind the group that Yee and the French
Connix
command with a brutal rhythm
.
Among them, who are less and less and the favorite Vicent Luis has taken off, is the glory in Odaiba.
It was an attack from Yee that decided the metals.
But he endured a bull, what a contrast in physics.
Blummenfelt
, with that forced running, as if hitting the ground, before the softness of the British.
And the Norwegian, with heartbreaking power, crossed the finish line as happy as he was exhausted.
A titanic effort in Odaiba.
1: 45.04 of agony.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
sports
Spain Olympics
Tokyo GamesInterview with Mario Mola: "People are surprised that I go up in the elevator"
Tokyo Olympics Anna Godoy, the Shark's daughter who fulfills the family's Olympic dream: "I inherited the capacity for suffering"
Tokyo GamesA Caribbean island, the angles of a stroke and a slope in Pontevedra: the secrets for Tokyo by Javi Gómez Noya
See links of interest
Last News
Tokyo 2021
2021 business calendar
Home THE WORLD TODAY
Master investigative journalism
Ashleigh Barty - Sara Sorribes, live
Carla Suárez - Ons Jabeur, live
Veronika Kudermetova - Garbiñe Muguruza, live
Spain - Australia, live
Spain - Sweden, live