The top five was fine for Joanna Brown and top 16 sweet for Matthew Sharpe at the ITU world triathlon championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands on Saturday.
Brown, a native of Carp, Ont., has blossomed since relocating to the national triathlon training centre in Victoria. Sharpe, a native of Campbell River who moved down-Island to train and graduated from Claremont Secondary, has rallied valiantly from a broken collarbone in April.
This year is the start of the quadrennial leading to the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and both 26-year-old Sharpe and Brown, 24, look well on their way.
鈥淭his is a sign for sure and a big statement that we are going to keep building,鈥� Sharpe said on the phone from Rotterdam after his 16th-place showing.
鈥淚n April, with a broken collarbone, I was not even planning on being on the world championships, but I came back over the summer and earned this opportunity. These are the best guys in the world. I had to go to some dark places today, but I鈥檓 strong mentally and pushed to where I needed to go.鈥�
Brown also fought through career injuries that had her questioning her future in the sport, before her move to Victoria under national team coach Jono Hall.
鈥淚t feels a bit surreal, but I guess this happened today,鈥� said Brown, who was fifth, for her fourth consecutive women鈥檚 top-10 finish of the World Cup season.
鈥淚t has been a really consistent year. This is one year of many I want to build on towards Tokyo. I have done a lot of work this year and I鈥檓 so grateful to all of my teammates who have pushed me, and the strong support team I have behind me. I鈥檓 just over the moon with excitement right now.鈥�
Flora Duffy of Bermuda and Vincent Luis of France won the women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 world titles, respectively.
Desirae Ridenour of Cowichan Bay continued stating her case as a name to watch for Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 by placing eighth in the women鈥檚 junior race at the world championships. Hannah Henry of Victoria was 26th.
Pavlos Antoniades of Trois Rivieres was 15th in the junior men鈥檚 race, Michael Milic of North Delta was 39th and Aiden Longcroft-Harris of Victoria [email protected]
