The Sports Examiner

TRIATHLON: Canada’s Mislawchuk surprises with men’s Olympic qualifier win in Tokyo

A happy winner: Canada's Tyler Mislawchuk in Tokyo! (Photo: ITU)

The conditions were cloudy and less harsh for the men at the ITU Olympic qualifier at Odaiba Marine Park on Friday, and Canada’s unheralded Tyler Mislawchuk took advantage.

The winner of one World Series medal in his career – a bronze in front of home fans in the Montreal Sprint in late June – Mislawchuk found himself in the lead pack as the 10 km run phase started.

By the end of the second lap of the run, Mislawchuk, Hayden Wilde of New Zealand and Casper Stornes of Norway – certainly not the favorites going in – were in the lead and determined to stay there. Wilde moved first, with 1,500 m to go, but Mislawchuk and Stornes stay close. The effort tired Wilde and he lost contact and two were left.

The issue was not decided until the final sprint to the tape and Mislawchuk had more in the legs than Stornes and managed a four-second win, the biggest of his career.

“That’s the biggest race outside of the Olympics for me so that’s just unbelievable,” said Mislawchuk. “I had good legs on the day and I want to thank the boys out there for helping me out, we worked as a team and I couldn’t have done it without them. I can’t believe it.

“We prepared specifically for this. Me and Hayden turned well the whole way and we knew we were in it for the medals if we worked together. It came down to a sprint and I had the legs and I wanted it more than anything today. I thought I may never have the chance to win a big race like this ever again so I’ve got to take it now.”

The water and air temps were 84 degrees F at the start of the racing, with 72% humidity and significant winds as well.

There was one reported hospitalization from the women’s race on Thursday. France’s Cassandre Beaugrand, who finished 19th, was treated for potential heatstroke, but no further word has been reported on her condition.

The Mixed Relay will be held on Sunday. Summaries so far:

ITU Olympic Qualification Event
Tokyo (JPN) ~ 15-18 August 2019
(Full results here)

Men (1.5 km swim/40 km bike/10 km run): 1. Tyler Mislawchuk (CAN), 1:49:51; 2. Casper Stornes (NOR), 1:49:55; 3. Hayden Wilde (NZL), 1:50:03; 4. Gustav Iden (NOR), 1:50:25; 5. Jonny Brownlee (GBR), 1:50:28; 6. Joao Silva (POR), 1:50:36; 7. Bence Bicsak (HUN), 1:50:41; 8. Pierre LeCorre (FRA), 1:51:00. Also in the top 25: 16. Matt McElroy (USA), 1:52:00; … 25. Morgan Pearson (USA), 1:52:54.

Women (1.5 km swim/40 km bike/5 km run): 1. Flora Duffy (BER), 1:40:19; 2. Alice Betto (ITA), 1:40:54; 3. Vicky Holland (GBR), 1:41:11; 4. Vittoria Lopes (BRA), 1:41:21; 5. Summer Rappaport (USA), 1:41:25; 6. Laura Lindemann (GER), 1:41:27; 7. Non Stanford (GBR), 1:41:32; 8. Taylor Spivey (USA), 1:41:38. Also in the top 25: 14. Kirsten Kasper (USA), 1:42:40.

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