Gillian Backhouse latest Australian woman to win a major triathlon

AFTER world titles in duathlon and long course triathlon in recent weeks, it was the turn of Australia’s Olympic distance racers to shine.

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AFTER world titles in duathlon and long course triathlon in recent weeks, it was the turn of Australia’s Olympic distance racers to shine.

And Gillian Backhouse was up for the task, winning the inaugural ITU Karlovy Vary World Cup on Monday.

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It ended a three-years absence from World Cup podiums for the 26-year-old Aussie who next weekend competes in the World Triathlon Series finale in Rotterdam.

Gillian Backhouse is the latest female Australians triathlete to taste success on the international stage.

Backhouse dominated from the opening 1.5km swim leg to defeat Czech local Vendula Frintova and American Summer Cook.

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Fellow Australians Emma Jackson and Felicity Sheedy Ryan were fifth and sixth respectively but were two minutes off Backhouse’s winning time.

It was the Australians first ever win in the World Cup series.

Gillian Backhouse competing in an Australian race.

“I am really happy to be back into top level racing. I’ve been swimming very well all year, so I knew that I’ll be there in the swim,’’ she said.

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“My plan was just to go full gas on the bike from the beginning cause there were a number of girls in the field who can run faster than I can and I didn’t want them with me on the bike.

“On a course like this you don’t get much advantage with drafting and going by yourself you can take the best line, and so I did.

“It was my race plan, swim hard, bike hard, and see what happens on the run.’’