Faris Al-Sultan and Lucie Zelenkova won the men’s and women’s elite divisions of the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Sri Lanka with superior runs that propelled them past close competitors through the swim and bike.
Al-Sultan, the 2005 Ironman World Champion, trailed New Zealand’s Bryan Rhodes by 68 seconds after the swim and bike, then unleashed a race-best 1:18:33 half marathon which outpaced Rhodes by 8:54. At the line, Al-Sultan’s 3:51:39 topped runner-up Rhodes by 7 minutes 35 seconds, with Allesandro Gasperi of Italy placing 3rd, 1:40 back of Rhodes.
Zelenkova combined a women’s best 28:01 swim, 2nd best 2:25:01 bike and 2nd best 1:35:51 run in steaming Sri Lankan heat to hit the line in 4:30:17 with a 3:56 winning margin over runner-up Katja Rabe of Germany and 6:21 over third place Christie Sym of Australia.
Zelenkova started her day off with a swim which gave her 3 minutes lead over Sym and 3:51 over Rabe. Sym then rode a sizzling 2:22:07 which earned back all but six seconds back to Zelenkova, and left Rabe 5:27 back of the two leaders.
On the run, Zelenkova’s 1:35:51 flew away from Sym’s fading-to-3rd 1:42:13 run and was quite enough to hold off Rabe’s race-best 1:34:28 half marathon for a 3:56 margin of victory.
Ironman 70.3 Sri Lanka
Colombo, Sri Lanka
February 19, 2012
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.
Results
Men
1. Faris Al-Sultan (UAE) 3:51:39
2. Bryan Rhodes (NZL) 3:59:14
3. Alessandro Degasperi (ITA) 4:00:54
4. Fredrik Croneberg (SWE) 4:04:27
5. AJ Anderson (THA) 4:10:31 * M30-34
6. Kent Horner (RSA) 4:10:49
7. Josh Rix (AUS) 4:19:39
8. James Middleditch (SNP) 4:22:30 * M40-44
9. Shusako Endo (JPN) 4:25:09 * M30-34
10. Pablo Erat (SUI) 4:26:03 * M40-44
Women
1. Lucie Zelenkova (CZE) 4:30:17
2. Katja Rabe (GER) 4:34:13
3. Christie Sym (AUS) 4:36:38
4. Claire Horner (RSA) 4:37:34
5. Dana Wagner (GER) 4:42:02
6. Anita Lenti (SUI) 5:04:19 *F45-49
7. Jane Westley (UAE) 5:11:47 *F35-39
8. Yukari Fukahori (JPN) 5:19:20 *F30-34
9. Clare McCabe (UAE) 5:25:44 *F40-44
10. Aya Murayama (JPN) 5:26:57 *F30-34
