Triathlon: Southern pair win sprints

Southerners Nicky Samuels and Tony Dodds pushed their claims for inclusion in the world triathlon championships in Hungary later this year with wins at the national sprint championships in Taupo yesterday.

It was a breakthrough victory for Dodds, as the 23-year-old won a national triathlon series race for the first time and with it the national sprint distance elite title.

"To win and grab a national title feels awesome, this is a big thing for me, it isn't a peak for a lot of the guys but it is great to get the win," he said.

The women's race quickly turned into a procession as Samuels put on a clinic for the largely young field, clearing out from the moment she got on the bike to win by almost three minutes from under-23 champion Teresa Adam and under-19 winner Maddy Brunton.

Samuels didn't taper for the event but showed the benefit of her current heavy training workload nonetheless.

"I felt the legs in the bike and the run, especially the quads so I know I have been doing some miles but yeah, that felt great," she said.

- NZPA