Analysis about our triathletes for the Olympic Games
The Spanish Javier Gómez Noya is one of the main contenders for the triathlon gold medal at the London Olympics, which will be held on August 7, after having stayed at the gates of the podium in Beijing 2008, when he was the big favorite and was fourth in bitter form.
The Galician, born in Switzerland, hopes to be able to remove the thorn of the Beijing Games with a metal in the London event this summer, and with that objective he has been training for the last four years, in which he became the number one in the ITU Ranking during 2009 and 2010, when he was also proclaimed World Champion, but the arrival of the British Brownlee brothers, Alistair and Jonathan, have made things slightly more complicated for him.
Noya arrives in London after having been proclaimed European Champion, for the third time, last April in the competition that took place in Eliat, Israel, although the Brownlees were not measured at this event, since they did not attend the race .
This result has been the best of his year, where he has not competed excessively, in fact he is eleventh in the ranking, and he has prepared for the event in the English capital, although last week he achieved second place in Hamburg, a test of the World Series, surpassed by Richard Murray, and also without the presence of his greatest rivals, focused exclusively on scoring a double against his countrymen-
Last year he already competed in the Olympic circuit for Hyde Park that will host the test on August 7 and was fourth, behind Alistair Brownlee, Alexander Bryukhankov and Jonathan Brownlee, on a track that does not have many complications, where both the section on foot and that of the bike are very flat, so it is expected to be a very fast race.
Together with the Galician, the Spanish men's team is completed by the Mallorcan Mario Mola, who despite his young age (22 years old), has already climbed several podiums in tests, and Josemi Pérez from Cuenca. Both aspire to be among the top 20 on July 7.
THE BROWNLEE BROTHERS, THE GREAT RIVALS.
The British Brownlee brothers, Alistair and Jonathan, 23 and 21 years old respectively, will be Noya's two main rivals to climb to the top of the podium, since they have won great titles, in all categories, although if possible, it is that of older the one who still starts as more favorite than the other. In addition, the factor of running in their country makes the possibilities even greater for both.
Alistair has been a three-time world champion, once as a Junior in 2006, another as a sub-23 in 2008, and the last time, in the highest category, in 2009. In addition, he also has Olympic experience having participated in the Beijing Games , in which he reached twelfth place, with only 19 years.
The little brother, Jonathan, follows closely in his footsteps. He was proclaimed champion of Europe and the world in the Junior category in 2008, and he has four victories in World Series events, so it is expected that in these Games, he will finish exploiting his talent and climb to one of the three drawers.
Both dominated the World Series last year, with Jonathan first and Alistair second. The youngest of the Brownlees has won this year in Madrid and San Diego, while the oldest won practically in his only appearance in 2012, in Kitzbuehel (Austria). Along with them, we must not rule out the Russians Alexander Bryukhankov and Dmitry Polyanskiy, the first two in the world ranking.
AINHOA MURÚA, TO FOR THE DIPLOMA IN THE THIRD GAMES.
As for the women's event, which will take place on August 4, the Spanish team will have the maximum participation, with three athletes, among which Ainhoa Murúa from Gipuzkoa stands out, who is seeking to obtain the Olympic diploma in her third Games and who will arrive as twelfth in the world and with the role of runner-up in Europe.
After passing through Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, where she finished 24th and 28th respectively, the 33-year-old athlete is looking in London, which a priori will be her last Games, to make the leap and finish in the top eight.
Murúa will have the company of Marina Damlaimcourt and Zuriñe Rodríguez, who are facing their first Games. The first comes to the appointment after a difficult year, in which after having been sick with mononucleosis for several months, she has not been able to train as she would have liked. For her part, Rodríguez, who was the last to achieve her classification, faces this challenge to gain experience and to do her best.
The favorites for the women's triathlon are mainly Helen Jenkins, double world champion, Nicole Spirig, triple European champion, Erin Demsham, who has been proclaimed champion in two of the three world events this year, being second in the other, and the New Zealand Andrea Hewitt, leader of the ranking.
FILE.
-SET: Hyde Park.
–DATES OF COMPETITION: August 4 (female event) and August 7 (male event).
–SPANISH PARTICIPATION: Javier Gómez Noya, Mario Mola, José Miguel Pérez, Ainhoa Murúa, Zuriñe Rodríguez and Marina Damlaimcourt
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