PHOTO: Áron Szántó Keszthely Triathlon 2018/ZVG

«This year the Ironman 70.3 World Championship was in South Africa in Port Elizabeth and I was a little bit afraid of the long travel over there with my baby Ruby. But the trip was not too bad and I was excited to be for the first time ever in South Africa. I was on the list of many people counting on me to do a very good result, as my 2018 season was just great so far. Therefore, I was also one of a few athletes doing a pre-race TV interview, which was a great way to promote my sponsors.

It was a mandatory wetsuit swim as the water temperature was only 15.4 degrees Celsius. I had a great start and so I was from the beginning in the front group swimming side by side to Daniela Ryf, the multiple World Champion. The bike course was spectacular but very hard as it was a windy day. I was most of the 90 k riding at the front of the lead group (position 3) as Daniela and Lucy Charles were amazingly strong pulling away from rest of the field. I pushed very hard on the bike as I knew there were amazing runners trying to catch us. I entered the second transition in third position. Super happy with that!

The run was pretty hard as I have really pushed my limits on the bike. But that is World Championship race so you have to go hard as possible. I was running the whole time on the fourth position with two girls running just behind me and at the end it was a sprint finish between fourth and fifth for me. I ended up number five in the world, completely exhausted but very happy.»

Written by Radka Kahlefeldt-Vodičková