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Bermudian world number one Flora Duffy has claimed the first gold medal of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, putting in a dominant performance during the women’s triathlon.
She defeated England’s Jessica Learmonth and Canada’s Joanna Brown for the medals, with Australia’s top-ranked competitor being Ashleigh Gentle, who came through in fifth position.
The first gold medal of the 2018 Commonwealth Games will go on the line in the women’s triathlon, with Australia’s athletes a strong chance. Join The Roar for live updates and coverage from 9:30am (AEST).
Not only will the winner have a Commonwealth Games medal to their name, but their country will be alone at the top of the medal table for at least a couple of hours.
Bermuda’s Floria Duffy is the favourite coming into the event, with the 30-year-old the best in the world by a considerable margin over the last 24 months.
Duffy has won the ITU World Championships two years in a row, not coming close to being beaten in 2017. Of nine events on the calendar, the Bermudan won six of them in a dominant performance.
While she hasn’t started the new season off with quite the same ferocity, all reports indicate she is training well and in good shape to take gold.
The home crowd will have plenty to cheer about as well, with Ashleigh Gentle finishing second in last year’s world championship, being a rapid improver since she made an Olympic debut in 2016 at Rio de Janiero.
Gentle, an Illawarra local, will be feeling the pressure, but won’t be the only local expected to perform after Charlotte McShane put in some impressive performances during 2017, winning one of the three events Duffy didn’t in Montreal.
New Zealander Andrea Hewitt is another strong contender. She won two events last year, but her form has fallen away. Despite that, the experienced 37-year-old won bronze in Melbourne in 2006 and will be keen to get ahead of the local favourites.
Of the other contenders, Great Britain’s Jessica Learmonth has started 2018 strongly after finishing second in the Abu Dhabi season opener. She finished behind Rachel Kammer of the Netherlands, who don’t participate in the Commonwealth Games.
Prediction
It’s little surprise Duffy comes in as the favourite. Her recent record speaks for itself and anything less than a gold medal would be a shock. Don’t be surprised if Gentle, on home soil, is her closest competitor.
Duffy to win gold and leave Bermuda on top of the medal table for a few hours.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the women’s triathlon from 9:30am (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.