Hungarian wonderkid Fanni Szalai, tipped by many experts as short-course triathlon’s next big thing, claimed another major prize at the Europe Triathlon Sprint & Relay Championship Balikesir.

The 16-year-old prodigy has spent the past couple of years consistently dominating opposition up to three years her senior, and performing credibly against superstar senior competition in supertri.

On Saturday she grabbed another big victory and once again showcased her incredible talent to become European Junior champion in Turkey following a thrilling final. The Junior Men’s final meanwhile went to Joao Nuno Batista of Portugal.

Junior Women – Szalai stars again

Szalai was right in the front rank as she exited the water from the 260m swim just a second down on Austrian leader Tabea Huys, with French pair Lisa Lecompte and Manon Laporte also in close attendance with the entire field of 30 separated by just 22 seconds.

Onto the bike and pretty swiftly we had a group of nine breaking away to take a significant lead over the rest of the field. Szalai was nestled comfortably in that group as swim leader Huys cut out the early pace. The tempo was unrelenting, with the battle to take some of the run speed out of Szalai’s legs well and truly on.

Great Britain’s Millie Breese made a real effort to increase that pace further, but she was picked up swiftly by the rest of that lead pack with Szalai content to sit in the midst of it all and wait. The pack was still bunched as they arrived in T2, with everything to play for on the 1.8km run.

Szalai wasted zero time on the run in taking firm control of this race by building a commanding lead on the opening lap, with Laporte and Lecompte giving vain pursuit. The result was now in no doubt at all, and the Hungarian starlet cruised home six seconds ahead of Laporte, with Lecompte taking the final spot on the podium.

Szalai’s final time of 20:20 saw her comfortably claim victory in the biggest race of the season so far for Junior Women.

Junior Men – Batista too strong

In the final for Junior Men, the eventual winner was again right up at the front exiting the water with Batista trailing the leader – Marton Kropko of Hungary – by a couple of seconds.

We had a very select breakaway group in the early stages of the bike with just four athletes at the front of the race. It was Batista and Kropko along with a second Portuguese prospect in Rodrigo Pissarra, and Nils Serre Gehri of France. The rest were absolutely nowhere in comparison with the pace furious up front.

That front quartet retained a significant gap heading into T2, but the closers were making inroads on the first lap of the run. At the head of affairs it was Batista and Serre Gehri neck and neck.

The final lap though was all Batista as he blasted clear to take a convincing victory, some nine seconds clear of Serre Gehri, with Kropko producing another excellent Hungarian performance to claim third.

Europe Triathlon Cup Balikesir results

Saturday August 10, 2024 – 260m swim/6.9km bike/1.8km run

Final – Junior Women

• 1. Fanni Szalai (HUN) – 20:20
• 2. Manon Laporte (FRA) – 20:26
• 3. Lisa Lecompte (FRA) – 20:35
• 4. Sara Crociani (ITA) – 20:40
• 5. Millie Breese (GBR) – 20:42

Final – Junior Men

• 1. Joao Nuno Batista (POR) – 18:15
• 2. Nils Serre Gehri (FRA) – 18:24
• 3. Marton Kropko (HUN) – 18:29
• 4. Hector Tolsa Garcia (ESP) – 18:36
• 5. Achille Besson (FRA) – 18:37