Chapple and Leathem earn qualification for ‘Worlds’
MEGAN CHAPPLE has earned her ticket to compete at the ‘Worlds’ next year should she so choose.
Guernsey’s No. 1 female triathlete is still deciding whether to commit to the World Age-Group Championships trip in Dubai after she, alongside Wendy Leathem in the veteran 50-54 bracket, qualified successfully at the London Triathlon.
Both had done so by placing second in their age group over the ITU Olympic distance event, where they faced tough conditions over the 1,500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run.
In Chapple’s case, she finished eighth woman overall in 2hrs 16min. 3sec.
Competing in the 25-29 bracket, despite being 24 for another two months, the Sarnian always featured strongly, though age-group winner Francesca Smith pulled away gradually with each discipline to finish 4-57 ahead.
‘Pretty much rained the whole way through, which made it a bit unpleasant,’ Chapple said.
‘The bike course was an awesome route going right though the city into Westminster. However, it was so wet and there were so many people that I didn’t want to take my eyes off the road.
‘The transitions were really long and the bike taking area was very overwhelming.
‘But overall, the race went as well as I could have imagined.’
Leathem, an exceptionally fast swimmer, left the water comfortably clear of age-group winner Marion Templeman only to be reeled in by an excellent cycle.
It was a closer affair, though, with Leathem closing ground on the run to finish within 2min. of age-group top spot.
Her 2-25-18 clocking made her 31st woman overall.
