Kazak, Japanese Win at Xuzhou Triathlon

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, September 12, 2002

Kazak, Japanese Win at Xuzhou Triathlon

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More than 400 athletes from more than a dozen countries and regions have participated in the 11th Asian Triathlon Championships helt in Xuzhou. Kazakstan's Sapunov Danilo and Sekine Akiko from Japan took the title of Ironman and Ironwoman respectively.

The race started with the shot of a gun as the participants began their 1.5km swim and jostled with each other to get ahead. At the end of the segment, the athletes exited the water and started on the first transition, running to the back racks, putting on sneakers, and jumping on their bikes. Though they had to ride 40km, the cycle section was probably the best time in the race to refuel with sports drinks and energy bars. After the bike segment was complete, the triathletes came back to the transition area, dropped their bikes off, and started for the last leg of the race, the 10km run.

The first man past the finish line was Sapunov Danilo from Kazakstan in a time of one hour 53 minutes and one second.

22-year-old Qiao Guangxue was the first Chinese Ironman to cross the finish line, coming in tenth.

In the women's event, the title was won by Japan's Sekine Akiko. She had participated in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and finished in 17th place. This time, she took two hours 10 minutes and five seconds to complete the whole race.

Chinese Ironwoman Shi Meng finished third past the line two minutes and 20 seconds later.

Though the sport of triathlon is spreading rapidly, and thousands of competitions are held every year across the globe, it is not very popular in China. There are only three professional triathlon teams and about 60 athletes engaged in the sport. And the best result Chinese triathletes got in the championships was third place. To make the sport more popular, the State Sports General Administration has decided to add the triathlon to the National Games program, and over ten provincial teams are to be established.

Moreover, with the triathlon set to be a part of the Health for All project, the sport looks like it will gain much popularity in China soon.

Sourcer: CRI News

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