Emma Pallant and Ben Dijkstra win World Duathlon titles

Emma Pallant and Ben Dijkstra both took home gold medals for GB at the ITU World Duathlon Championships in Adelaide over the weekend, with Mark Buckingham also taking a bronze.

Pallant won gold in the elite women’s event, finishing ahead of Ai Ueda of Japan and Sandra Levenez, the defending champion from France. She stayed with the leaders throughout, before running away on the final 5km run to break the tape more than thirty seconds ahead of Ueda.

Pallant commented after her win: “During the bike the three of us were working as a team to stay away but when Gillian came up to us it suddenly became a lot more tactical and we kept trying to break each other. I knew the quality of girls around me and I knew it was going to be a fight to finish, but I felt good going onto the final run.
“I’ve always been a runner, so this win feels even more special because it has been a different challenge. The race culminates three years of hard work with Team Dillon who have been really patient and had amazing belief in me.”

Sixteen-year-old Dijkstra won the junior men’s event, beating older competitors to secure his first world title, with Jimmy Kershaw also coming sixth.

Dijkstra tweeted: “Can’t believe I can now say I’m World Duathlon Champion!” following his win.

The senior men’s event was won by Spain’s Emilio Martin, and Mark Buckingham ran through into a brilliant bronze. Phil Wylie was seventh.

Results, ITU World Duathlon Championships, Adelaide, Australia

Elite women: 5km run, 40km bike, 10km run

1. Emma Pallant, GBR, 1:58:21

2. Ai Ueda, JPN, 1:58:51

3. Sandra Levenez, FRA, 1:59:24

Elite men: 5km run, 40km bike, 10km run

1. Emilio Martin, ESP, 1:47:11

2. Benoit Nicolas, FRA, 1:47:19

3. Mark Buckingham, GBR, 1:48:09

7. Philip Wylie, GBR, 1:50:23

Junior men: 2.5km run, 20km bike, 5km run

1. Ben Dijkstra, GBR, 53:12

2. Luke Willian, AUS, 53:24

3. Daniel Canala, AUS, 53:34

6. Jimmy Kershaw, GBR, 55:03

Jack Sexty Editor at road.cc

About

Former 220 staff writer Jack Sexty is now editor at Road.cc. Jack has raced everything up to Ironman distance, is a sub-2hr Olympic-distance athlete and has represented GB at the ITU World AG Champs on several occasions. He's also a regular kit tester on the pages of 220 and holds two world records for pogo jumping – Longest distance pogo stick jumping in 24 hours and Most consecutive jumps on a pogo stick.