Alex Yee dominates European Junior Duathlon Champs

Chief Correspondent

World Junior Champions add European titles in Soria, Spain

Under-23 Gold for Richard Allen too…

When the name Alex Yee is on the start list for a Junior Duathlon event, quite frankly, the rest of the entrants really are of no concern where predicting the winner is concerned. That, at least, is my view – and one that was more than proven once again in Soria, Spain, today at the ETU Duathlon European Championships.

Having watched first hand Alex’s total domination at the World Junior Championships last year in Aviles (also in Spain, pictured above…), the simple approach is broadly get him to T2 with the leaders, and it is game over. Well, it would appear that Alex was intent on doing more than a safe and tactical approach today, leaving everyone behind from the start.

Pushing the pace solo on the opening run (14:48, versus the next best of 15:15), 20km of cycling later and by the start of the second run he had extended his lead to almost one minute to leave the final run something of a formality.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTd2rkKgOgo/

This youngster is pure class – and if he can close the (small) margin that he currently needs to become a consistent front pack swimmer, there are no limits to what Alex Yee can achieve in both Duathlon and Triathlon.

The 2017 European Junior Champion in the women’s category was also the World Champion last year, as Delia Sclabas (SUI) took the win. Her success is down to her running speed (she also represented Switzerland, finishing sixth in the 2016 European Junior Cross Country Championships), where she took out the first run solo, was caught on the bike, and then ran away to a comfortable win on the closing 2.5km run.

Caitlin Roper was GB’s only representative in the Junior Elite race, finishing in fifth place.

The men’s Under-23 race win was up for grabs until the last few hundred metres, where Great Britain’s Richard Allen managed to run past home athlete Javier Martin Morales to take the title (and finish eighth overall), by just seven seconds.

Soria ETU Duathlon European Junior Championships – Saturday 29th April 2017
5km / 20km / 2.5km

MEN

1st – Alex Yee (GBR) – 53:28
2nd – Grigory Antipov (RUS) – 54:21
3rd – Matevz Planko (SLO) – 54:30

13th – Cameron Richardson (GBR) – 55:51

WOMEN

1st – Delia Sclabas (SUI) – 1:02:17
2nd – Laura Stewart (BEL) – 1:02:33
3rd – Gabriela Ribeiro (POR) – 1:02:40
4th – Annika Koch (GER) – 1:03:49
5th – Caitlin Roper (GBR) – 1:03:51

Soria ETU Duathlon European Under-23 Championships – Saturday 29th April 2017
10km / 40km / 5km

MEN

1st – Richard Allen (GBR) – 1:50:09
2nd – Javier Martin Morales (ESP) – 1:50:16
3rd – Nathan Guerbeur (FRA) – 1:50:39

Soria ETU Duathlon European Senior Championships – Saturday 29th April 2017
10km / 40km / 5km

MEN

1st – Emilio Martin (ESP) – 1:46:07
2nd – Benoit Nicolas (FRA) – 1:46:16
3rd – Yohan Le Berre (FRA) – 1:47:04
4th – Mark Buckingham (GBR) – 1:47:46

6th – Philip Wylie (GBR) – 1:48:26
8th – Richard Allen (GBR) – 1:50:09
DNF – Richard Horton (GBR)
LAP – Danny Russell (GBR)

 

John Levison
Written by
John Levison
Latest News
Max Stapley swim Malibu 2022 photo credit Tommy Zaferes and SLT
“To wear the GB suit is an honour” – Stapley ready to represent in Madrid
Jan Frodeno / Kristian Blummenfelt PTO European Open 2023 Ibiza
IRONMAN Hamburg 2023: Frodeno the star attraction but Brownlee showdown is off
Mathis Margirier wins The Championship 2023 photo credit Challenge Family
Challenge Salou 2023: Preview and how to watch live as Margirier bids for more glory
PTO European Open 2023 Ibiza - Alistair Brownlee
Alistair Brownlee out of IRONMAN Hamburg showdown with Jan Frodeno
Justus Nieschlag - IRONMAN 70.3 Lanzarote 2023 winner
‘Like a Ferrari and a match for anyone’ – Justus Nieschlag revving up for return