Frodeno sprints to Olympic Gold new
Written by: Timothy Carlson
Date: Tue Aug 19 2008
Jan Frodeno (GER) out-sprinted 2000 Olympic triathlon champion Simon Whitfield (CAN) for the 2008 Olympic Men's triathlon title. Bevan Docherty (NZL) earned the bronze medal and pre race favorite Javier Gomez (ESP) had to settle for fourth place.
A year ago Jan Frodeno was racing down the finishing chute in Beijing, he had to speed ahead of U.S. triathlete Jarrod Shoemaker to take 10th place in the 2007 Olympic preview World Cup – and to escape Shoemaker’s projectile vomiting.
On Tuesday, a day after his 27th birthday, Frodeno was in more rarefied company – the least famous triathlete in a four-man duel for Olympic gold.
With just 200 yards to go, and three-time ITU World Cup champion Javier Gomez broken and 2004 World Champion and Olympic silver medalist Bevan Docherty spent, it came down to 2000 Olympic gold medalist Simon Whitfield – a man who has won 11 World Cups – and Frodeno – a man who has been close but has never won a major race.
Just then Frodeno, who took a back seat to countryman Daniel Unger’s miracle come-from-behind win at the 2007 ITU World Championships, took center stage. Unger who electrified his countrymen with his amazing home town win in Hamburg a year ago, was taking an honorable sixth place. Just the spot Frodeno finished in Hamburg while Unger took gold.
Putting his 6-foot 4-inch frame into high gear, just one inch shorter and a few mph slower than Jamaican Olympic sprint sensation Usain Bolt, Frodeno blew away the Canadian’s last hopes of a repeat Olympic gold.
While Frodeno was a surprise first time winner, his recent performances gave a clear signal he was ready for a breakthrough.
At the July ITU World Cup in Hamburg, Frodeno finished second, just five seconds back of Daniel Unger with a second best 30:39 finishing 10km – just seven seconds slower than his run at Beijing. At the Tongyeong World Cup in April, Frodeno finished third behind famed runners and champions Tim Don and Bevan Docherty, with another world-class run of 30:36.
Knowing he was beaten, Whitfield trotted in for silver while Frodeno blasted through the tape with a race-best 30:46 10km and a 5-second margin of victory in 1:48:53.
Finishing in physical tatters but earning an honorable bronze after losing the duel was Docherty, 12 seconds back of the winner after running a third-best 30:57.
Looking downcast was pre race favorite, 10-time World Cup winner and 2007 Beijing World Cup winner Javier Gomez of Spain, who arrived at the finish in the cruelest Olympic placing, Gomez was fourth and out of the medals, 20 seconds back of Frodeno. Stuck in the high adrenaline four man duel, Gomez was unable to make his usual negative split surge halfway through the run. When his usually successful long push didn’t work, Gomez came to the last lap sprint like a gunslinger with a slingshot. Looking much more satisfied, 2002 ITU World champion Ivan Rana, who has been eclipsed by his younger countryman for the past few years, dueled with the four until a mile to go and finished a strong fifth, 8 seconds back of Gomez.
Unger, thrilled for his frequent training partner and good friend Frodeno,
took 6th, 50 seconds behind the gold.
Given his long road back from illness and injury, three-time American Olympian Hunter Kemper finished his race off with a 31:40 10km to take 7th place – 5 seconds back of Unger. From the smile on his face, you could tell that Kemper could be proud of his best-ever Olympic finish.
Jarrod Shoemaker kept his lunch down and finished 18th, 1:53 back of Frodeno and ahead of such luminaries as 2000 ITU World Champion Olivier Marceau (19th), 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Sven Riederer (23rd) , two-time ITU World Championship medalist Reto Hug (29th) top New Zealander Kris Gemmell (39th) and 2006 ITU World Champion Tim Don (DNF).
While the USA’s Matt Reed had a very disappointing day finished off with a struggling 34:19 run, he did have the satisfaction of whipping his brother Shane, a member of the New Zealand team, by 15 seconds. Matt’s 32nd place may not have been worthy of a medal, but he took brotherly honors by two spots.
Results
1. Jan Frodeno (GER) 1:48:53 (GOLD)
2. Simon Whitfield (CAN) 1:48:58 (SILVER)
3. Bevan Docherty (NZL) 1:49:05 (BRONZE)
4. Javier Gomez (ESP) 1:49:13
5. Ivan Rana (ESP) 1:49:22
6. Daniel Unger (GER) 1:49:43
7. Hunter Kemper (USA) 1:49:58
8. Rasmus Henning (DEN) 1:49:57
9. Igor Sysoev (RUS) 1:49:59
10. Frederic Belaubre (FRA) 1:50:00
12. Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 1:50:19
16. Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 1:50:36
18. Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) 1:50:46
28. Paul Tichelaar (CAN) 1:51:46
32. Matty Reed (USA) 1:52:30
34. Shane Reed (NZL) 1:52:48
50. Colin Jenkins (CAN) 1:56:50
A year ago Jan Frodeno was racing down the finishing chute in Beijing, he had to speed ahead of U.S. triathlete Jarrod Shoemaker to take 10th place in the 2007 Olympic preview World Cup – and to escape Shoemaker’s projectile vomiting.
On Tuesday, a day after his 27th birthday, Frodeno was in more rarefied company – the least famous triathlete in a four-man duel for Olympic gold.
With just 200 yards to go, and three-time ITU World Cup champion Javier Gomez broken and 2004 World Champion and Olympic silver medalist Bevan Docherty spent, it came down to 2000 Olympic gold medalist Simon Whitfield – a man who has won 11 World Cups – and Frodeno – a man who has been close but has never won a major race.
Just then Frodeno, who took a back seat to countryman Daniel Unger’s miracle come-from-behind win at the 2007 ITU World Championships, took center stage. Unger who electrified his countrymen with his amazing home town win in Hamburg a year ago, was taking an honorable sixth place. Just the spot Frodeno finished in Hamburg while Unger took gold.
Putting his 6-foot 4-inch frame into high gear, just one inch shorter and a few mph slower than Jamaican Olympic sprint sensation Usain Bolt, Frodeno blew away the Canadian’s last hopes of a repeat Olympic gold.
While Frodeno was a surprise first time winner, his recent performances gave a clear signal he was ready for a breakthrough.
At the July ITU World Cup in Hamburg, Frodeno finished second, just five seconds back of Daniel Unger with a second best 30:39 finishing 10km – just seven seconds slower than his run at Beijing. At the Tongyeong World Cup in April, Frodeno finished third behind famed runners and champions Tim Don and Bevan Docherty, with another world-class run of 30:36.
Knowing he was beaten, Whitfield trotted in for silver while Frodeno blasted through the tape with a race-best 30:46 10km and a 5-second margin of victory in 1:48:53.
Finishing in physical tatters but earning an honorable bronze after losing the duel was Docherty, 12 seconds back of the winner after running a third-best 30:57.
Looking downcast was pre race favorite, 10-time World Cup winner and 2007 Beijing World Cup winner Javier Gomez of Spain, who arrived at the finish in the cruelest Olympic placing, Gomez was fourth and out of the medals, 20 seconds back of Frodeno. Stuck in the high adrenaline four man duel, Gomez was unable to make his usual negative split surge halfway through the run. When his usually successful long push didn’t work, Gomez came to the last lap sprint like a gunslinger with a slingshot. Looking much more satisfied, 2002 ITU World champion Ivan Rana, who has been eclipsed by his younger countryman for the past few years, dueled with the four until a mile to go and finished a strong fifth, 8 seconds back of Gomez.
Unger, thrilled for his frequent training partner and good friend Frodeno,
took 6th, 50 seconds behind the gold.
Given his long road back from illness and injury, three-time American Olympian Hunter Kemper finished his race off with a 31:40 10km to take 7th place – 5 seconds back of Unger. From the smile on his face, you could tell that Kemper could be proud of his best-ever Olympic finish.
Jarrod Shoemaker kept his lunch down and finished 18th, 1:53 back of Frodeno and ahead of such luminaries as 2000 ITU World Champion Olivier Marceau (19th), 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Sven Riederer (23rd) , two-time ITU World Championship medalist Reto Hug (29th) top New Zealander Kris Gemmell (39th) and 2006 ITU World Champion Tim Don (DNF).
While the USA’s Matt Reed had a very disappointing day finished off with a struggling 34:19 run, he did have the satisfaction of whipping his brother Shane, a member of the New Zealand team, by 15 seconds. Matt’s 32nd place may not have been worthy of a medal, but he took brotherly honors by two spots.
Results
1. Jan Frodeno (GER) 1:48:53 (GOLD)
2. Simon Whitfield (CAN) 1:48:58 (SILVER)
3. Bevan Docherty (NZL) 1:49:05 (BRONZE)
4. Javier Gomez (ESP) 1:49:13
5. Ivan Rana (ESP) 1:49:22
6. Daniel Unger (GER) 1:49:43
7. Hunter Kemper (USA) 1:49:58
8. Rasmus Henning (DEN) 1:49:57
9. Igor Sysoev (RUS) 1:49:59
10. Frederic Belaubre (FRA) 1:50:00
12. Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 1:50:19
16. Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 1:50:36
18. Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) 1:50:46
28. Paul Tichelaar (CAN) 1:51:46
32. Matty Reed (USA) 1:52:30
34. Shane Reed (NZL) 1:52:48
50. Colin Jenkins (CAN) 1:56:50
Articles related to this one
Introducing Jan Frodeno
Jan Frodeno is the current German triathlon champion but he did not start at the recent 2008 ITU World Championships to concentrate fully on his Olympic quest. He has been on the podium in World Cups before, but doing that in Beijing would be sweeter. 6.10.08
Jan Frodeno is the current German triathlon champion but he did not start at the recent 2008 ITU World Championships to concentrate fully on his Olympic quest. He has been on the podium in World Cups before, but doing that in Beijing would be sweeter. 6.10.08
Slowtwitch interviews Simon Whitfield
Simon Whitfield won 3 World Cup ITU races in 2007, is ranked second in the World and is currently getting ready for his 3rd trip to the Olympics. He is also a very proud dad and gave Slowtwitch a few minutes of his time. 12.20.07
Simon Whitfield won 3 World Cup ITU races in 2007, is ranked second in the World and is currently getting ready for his 3rd trip to the Olympics. He is also a very proud dad and gave Slowtwitch a few minutes of his time. 12.20.07
Timothy Carlson sets Olympic Odds
These things are almost always impossible to predict. Which makes this endeavor an amusing fantasy, not unlike playing the lottery. But honestly speaking, there are only 8 to 10 men in the field of 56 who have the foot speed and leg power to win. 8.18.08
These things are almost always impossible to predict. Which makes this endeavor an amusing fantasy, not unlike playing the lottery. But honestly speaking, there are only 8 to 10 men in the field of 56 who have the foot speed and leg power to win. 8.18.08
RSS Feed
