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Australia wins women's Olympic triathlon
Xinhua
Updated: 2008-08-18 12:56
BEIJING -- Three-time world champion Emma Snowsill outlasted Vanessa Fernandes to win Australia the women's triathlon at the Beijing Olympics on Monday.
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Emma Snowsill of Australia competes in the women's triathlon at the Ming Tomb reservoir in the Changping District of northern Beijing during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 18, 2008. [Agencies]
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Snowsill, 27, rushed through the finish line in ease with 1 hour 58 minutes and 27 seconds carrying her national flag and clapping hands with her supporters.
Portugal's Fernandes, the all-time World Cup wins leader and the only woman to win on the Beijing course, came in second 1 minute and 6 seconds later. 23-year-old Fernandes was a credited triathlete for the course for winning the last three Beijing world cups.
Snowsill's teammate Emma Moffatt took the bronze with 1 minute and 28 seconds more. Moffatt was also a four-time world championships medalist.
"I knew I had to get out on that run. Coming down on the last lap I had to throw in whatever I had left. There's nothing like running scared. I had to make sure I didn't leave anything out on that field. I put every ounce of energy into this," said Snowsill after the race.
"This is a very challenging bike and I was very thankful to see the finish line."
On competing in her first Olympics, Snowsill said: "I tried to maintain the attitude that it's a swim, bike, run race and the Olympic rings come afterwards."
Snowsill was neglected from Australian squad at the Athens Games. "There was a reason for that. Lessons were learned and it was a great motivation for coming to Beijing, but that has never been a sore point for me," said she.
Snowsill and Fernandes were on a different level to the rest of the competitors and were expected to decide the gold between them in the final stages of the run.