Anne Haug from Bayreuth took third place at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. Haug was on the podium in each of her four Ironman World Championship participations: 2018, 2021 and 2022 in third place, in 2019 she became world champion.
Anne Haug with a controlled race at the World Championships in Hawaii
At the finish, the reigning Challenge Roth winner sank to the ground, completely exhausted, and said immediately after the race that she had probably overexerted herself on the bike.
“It was brutal on the running track and Lucy was only a few seconds ahead of me at times, but I just couldn’t do anything – it’s mentally exhausting. But I’m very happy with my third place.” Anne Haug, professional triathlete
The 39-year-old showed a good race over the 3.8-kilometer swim, which is actually Haug’s weakest discipline. Although she could not keep up with Lucy Charles-Barclay (Great Britain), who – as always – swam lonely away from the front of the field. However, Haug didn’t leave too much behind and arrived in the first transition zone almost together with her strong competitors Laura Philipp, Daniela Bleymehl (both Germany) and Daniela Ryf (Switzerland).
Haug catches up on the running track
Anne Haug also showed a very controlled race over the 180-kilometer bike course, which leads through the lava fields on Big Island, always within striking distance of the competition in the front places. On the final 42-kilometer marathon distance, Haug’s parade discipline, she was initially seventh. The 2019 world champion fought her way up place by place, right up to third place.
Hawaii debutante from the USA WINS
At that point, only Chelsea Sodaro from the USA and Brit Lucy Charles-Barclay, winner of Challenge Roth 2019, were faster. Haug was able to get close to Charles-Barclay, but not overtake her. The Californian Sodaro caused a small sensation as a Hawaii debutant with her victory. The 33-year-old American completed only her second long-distance triathlon there and finished with the second best time ever run in Hawaii, after 8:33:46 hours.
After the Corona break: Men and women do not start together
The Ironman World Championships in Hawaii had to be canceled for the past two years due to the corona pandemic. Many age-group athletes who qualified to compete have “waived” their entry permits for this year. That’s why more than 5,000 athletes are starting this year instead of the usual: around 2,500 women and men. That’s why there are two races.
The professional men start on Saturday evening. The race will be broadcast on ZDF: The live stream on the Internet will start at 6:15 p.m., and the event will be broadcast on TV from 12:25 a.m. (October 9th, 2022). Here, too, an Upper Franconian is at the start: Andi Dreitz from Michelau in the district of Lichtenfels, who fell off his bike in May at the World Championships in Utah because of a media motorcycle and was injured so badly that his career was even threatened. Dreitz only celebrated his triathlon comeback at the end of August.