Athletics: Dunedin teenager takes third spot in world duathlon championship

Dunedin teenager Sarah Bryant finished third in the junior women's race at the world duathlon championships in Switzerland today.

Bryant, the national junior and secondary schools duathlon and triathlon champion, was just pipped for second place in a strong performance on a brutally tough course at Affoltern.

Taupo's Fiona Docherty finished a superb sixth in the elite women's race, and Christchurch's Mark Bailey enjoyed his best-ever finish to place 14th in the men's event.

Bryant was fourth after the first 5km run, and rode comfortably in the lead pack on the bike.

She managed a strong nine minutes 18 seconds for her final 2.5km run for third place, closing to within 5 metres of second placed Vanessa Fernandes of Portugal.

Docherty, who has been in superb form in several long distance triathlon events in the United States and Europe this season, returned to the duathlon scene for the world championships.

The strong women's field had to cope not only with the tough terrain, especially on the bike, but also heavy rain during their race.

This was Docherty's third top-10 finish at the world championships.

Bailey, Christchurch's flying doctor, took on possibly the strongest field for some years in the elite men's race, with 14 of the top-20 from last year racing in Switzerland.

He was 11th in the main chase pack for the first 10km run, and pushed up to fifth overall for the 40km ride.

The effort took its toll on the final 5km run, as Bailey dropped to 14th in the final 5km run.

He remains in Switzerland for his first attempt at the famous Zofingen ultra-distance duathlon later this month.

The New Zealand age-group team will race tomorrow.

New Zealand elite results, world duathlon championships, Affoltern, Switzerland:

Elite men: Benny Van Steelant (Bel) 1hr 54 min 30s, 1; Jonathan Hall (Aus) 1:55.05, 2; Alessandri Allesandro (Ita) 1:55.20, 3.

Mark Bailey (NZ) 1:57.03, 14.

Elite women: Edwige Pitel (Fra) 2:13.20, 1; Andrew Cleau (Fra) 2:14.32, 2; Vicki Pincombe (GBR) 2:15.11, 3. New Zealanders: FIONA DOCHERTY (TAUPO) 2:17.11, 6; FIONA MCKEE (DUNEDIN) 2:33.27, 28; ANNIE OLIVER (TAURANGA) DNF bike.

Junior women: Vanessa Fernandes (Por) 1:12.49, 1; Gitta Arany (Hun) 1:17.38, 2; SARAH BRYANT (NZ) 1:17.40, 3.

Other NZ results:

Junior men (Martin van Barneveld (Wellington) 1:11.10, 25th; Clive Cooper (Cambridge) dnf bike.

Under 23 women: Victoria Beck (Dunedin) 2:35.03, 13th.

- NZPA