Ashleigh Gentle medal hopes fade in run leg of women’s triathlon

AN emotional Ashleigh Gentle says she has been left shattered after a poor run leg cost her a medal in the women’s triathlon on the opening day of the Commonwealth Games.

AN emotional Ashleigh Gentle says she has been left shattered after a poor run leg cost her a medal in the women’s triathlon on the opening day of the Commonwealth Games.

For the first time at a major Games Gentle, Australia’s greatest hope of winning gold, put herself in position to claim a medal on Thursday.

But with bronze in sight, the woman considered to be the best female runner in triathlon dropped off the pace as Bermuda’s Flora Duffy went on to win gold ahead of Jessica Learmonth (England) and Joanna Brown (Canada).

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Ashleigh Gentle couldn’t close the gap on the eventual medallists during the run leg.
picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

“I had a really good swim. I always expected those girls would go off the front as fast as they could. They’re exceptional swimmers,” Gentle said.

“But I was up towards the front of the group coming out behind them so I was in the perfect position to be in a race where I could be in the medals.

“But unfortunately we couldn’t close that gap at the start and I didn’t have my running legs.

“It would have been great to run in for that bronze medal. I put myself in the best possible position to do that but unfortunately it was just not my day.

“I am just really disappointed that I wasn’t able to get a medal for everyone.”

Gentle’s fifth place finish is her best result at a major Games but she is yet to be satisfied following the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games (ninth) and Rio Olympics (26th).

Gentle wore the pressure of public expectation as a Gold Coast athlete but the 27-year-old said she wouldn’t use that an excuse.

Flora Duffy won Bermuda’s first ever female gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Duffy said she was proud to become the first female Commonwealth Games medallist from Bermuda.

“​It’s really cool. The coolest part is Bermuda is a tiny team​, we only have seven athletes, but now we are leading the medal tally!” Duffy said.

“That’s the funniest and most special moment from the games.”

Triathlon legend Emma Snowsill called on Ashleigh Gentle to show patience, saying it had taken Duffy six attempts to finally win a medal at a major Games.

“Ash is on the up still,” Snowsill said.

“Everybody has a time where everything is going in the right direction and you have to look at what Flora has been doing in the last 18 months. Ash’s time is still coming behind that.

“Ash is maybe a year or two behind Flora but her time will come. It doesn’t always click into place at a major Games, which you would love it to. Flora is certainly at the top of what she is doing.

“Everybody remembers success but they don’t remember how many years have gone on before this and what it took to get there.”

Originally published as Ashleigh Gentle medal hopes fade in run leg of women’s triathlon