Triathlete Hauser wins final, Parker claims sixth title — ABC News Australia
Australian triathlete Matt Hauser won the World Triathlon Championship Series final in Pontevedra, Spain, beating Portugal's Vasco Vilaça by 0.08 seconds. Both athletes recorded a time of 1:39:31, but Hauser crossed the finish line first. This was reported by ABC News Australia.
Hauser and Vilaça's battle at the finish
Hauser, who was defending the series champion title, needed to win the final and Vilaça had to finish no higher than sixth for the Australian to become series champion for the second consecutive time. Several crashes during the season complicated Hauser's fight for the overall standings.
Vilaça stayed close to his rival during the swimming and cycling stages. On the running leg, they pulled away from Olympic champion Alex Yee, who reduced the gap near the end of the race but could not stay with the leaders. During the sprint to the finish, Hauser and Vilaça pushed each other; the Australian acknowledged that he had made contact with his rival and apologized.
Despite winning the final, Hauser did not retain the series champion title, which was claimed by Vilaça. The Australian said he was pleased with his performance in the decisive race and plans to use the result as momentum ahead of next season and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
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Lauren Parker's sixth title
Lauren Parker secured another victory for Australia in Pontevedra in the PTWC category. She won her sixth paratriathlon world championship title and became Australia's most successful paratriathlete, surpassing Bill Chaffey's record of five world titles.
The PTWC events feature athletes who use a wheelchair in everyday life. The programme includes 750 metres of open-water swimming, 20 km on a handcycle and 5 km in a racing wheelchair. Parker took the lead in the swimming stage, extended her advantage in the cycling stage and held it to the finish.
The 37-year-old athlete is the reigning PTWC Paralympic champion: she won gold in Paris and silver at the Tokyo 2021 Games. In Pontevedra, Australian Anu Francis also won the women's PTS2 world championship silver medal.
