‘Perfect plan’ earns SA silver in mixed team triathlon
"It couldn't have gone better to plan," said an overjoyed Richard Murray who earned South Africa their third silver medal in the mixed team triathlon at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday.
FILE PICTURE: Richard Murray at the Elite Men Olympic Distance during the Discovery World Triathlon on April 27, 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images)
Murray, the individual Games bronze medallist, rounded off a strategically perfect performance by teammates Kate Roberts, Henri Schoeman and Gill Sanders.
Kate Roberts set the foundation by putting the team into fifth place, 30 seconds adrift of leaders Canada with Northern Ireland, New Zealand and England spread ahead.
“It was crucial that I made the pack for a good swim, I was up against three strong girls,” said Roberts.
She faced Kirsten Sweetland of Canada and England’s Vicky Holland and Andrea Hewitt making the pace out of the water.
“I really had to dig deep on the run, but we knew that if I was a bit off in the run Henri [Schoeman] would make it up in the swim. It worked to a T.”
Schoeman clawed seven seconds back over the 250m swim, then worked with Aaron Royle to bridge the gap to the lead four.
Working with Australian Royle, the South African closed on the chase group.
“We just buried ourselves in the run,” said Schoeman who handed over to Sanders with only a 23-second deficit.
England’s gold medallist Jodie Stimpson led into the run, with Sanders matching Australian Emma Jackson stride for stride, with Murray only 27 seconds off the pace.
England’s Alistair Brownlee came out of the water and was so far ahead on the cycle that the chasing pack, having caught New Zealand’s Ryan Sissons, saved everything for the run.
Brownlee was a full minute ahead and without challenge as he crossed the line for team gold in 1:13:24.
It was now down to Murray to determine the remaining podium positions.
Powering into the lead the Cape-based triathlete opened a lead of 15 metres in the first lap.
“My first lap was good, the second lap I just survived,” said Murray, who was being reeled in by Australian Ryan Bailie as they closed in on the finish.
“I thought ‘If I lose this, I’m going to be the biggest idiot in South Africa’. I gave it everything.”
Murray’s 4:41 mile clinched the silver in 1:14:13.
“We were always underdogs,” said Sanders.
“We toyed with the order. I think we got that perfect. We just wanted a medal, and silver is fantastic.”
– Sapa
