Kiwi claims aquathlon gold

Auckland athlete Maddie Dillon has won the gold medal in the under 23 category at the world aquathlon championships in London.

Fellow Aucklander Elise Salt picked up the silver medal in the junior race while Rebecca Clarke finished fourth in the elite women's event and Cam Todd seventh in the men's under 23 race.

Dillon won the swim-run event in 32min 29sec, ahead of Russian Anastasia Uvarova in 33.20 with Swiss Pauline Purro third in 33.46.

Salt clocked 32.52 in finishing behind Russia's Anastasia Gorbunova (32.42) with Briton Harriet Ffion-haf third in 33.32.

''It is such a good feeling,'' Dillon said.

''It really is good to be on the podium again after such a late start to the year with a broken elbow.''

Salt was pretty satisfied with her effort too, and to make the podium for the first time in a world championship race.

''I was really happy with my run. I had an all right swim, but I came out a wee bit behind some of the other juniors so I knew I had to run them down.''

She could see Gorbunova about 200m ahead, ''and at the end it was down to about 10 seconds so it was a good run for me''.

Clarke clocked 32.14, six seconds off the podium, while Todd recorded 32.46 in the men's under 23 race.

There were a pair of gold medals in the age group categories, to Rachel Hamill of Hamilton (women's 40-44) and Alex Hill of North Harbour (80-84).

The aquathlon kicks off a busy week for triathletes culminating in the men's and women's triathlon world series grand finals.