Triathlon: Hewitt fights back for third

Jonathan Brownlee finally broke Javier Gomez's stranglehold to win the men's race. Photo / Nick Reed

Kiwi forced to come from behind after copping 15-second penalty for littering violation.

Andrea Hewitt secured her first medal at the Auckland leg of the World Triathlon Series and probably did enough to qualify for next year's Olympics in the process.

It was a good result for Hewitt, although her race wasn't without drama after she incurred a 15-second penalty for a littering (discard) violation on the 40km bike leg. She took it before the final lap of the 10km run before surging into third behind Americans Gwen Jorgensen and Katie Zaferes.

Hewitt's performance was enough to meet Tri NZ's selection criteria for the Rio Olympics, although the nomination still needs to be ratified.

Great Britain's Jonathan Brownlee finally broke Javier Gomez's stranglehold to win the men's race, with former world under-23 champion Pierre Le Corre (France) earning his first WTS podium in third.

Tony Dodds was the best of the Kiwi men, finishing in 10th, with Ryan Sissons 12th and Sam Osborne 47th on debut at this level. The women's race didn't start particularly well for Hewitt, who was missing from the lead group of eight out of the swim who established a 40-second lead. But the chase pack, which included Hewitt, Jorgensen and Lisa Norden, soon caught them. Jorgensen and Zaferes quickly broke away on the run, leaving Hewitt and Vendula Frintova (Czech Republic) battling for the minor placings, albeit with Hewitt having to serve her penalty which allowed Frintova the luxury of a 17-second lead before the Kiwi powered home.

Since her win in the World Cup event in 2011 in Auckland, the Cantabrian has not featured in the three WTS races since, until yesterday's bronze medal.

"One of my goals this year was to be on the podium and I have done it here in Auckland," she said.

"When I heard about the penalty on the second lap on the run, I was like, 'oh, no'. I knew I had thrown my gel on the bike but thought I had done it in transition but apparently it was near transition so it was the wrong place. Luckily I felt pretty good, caught back up after the penalty and went past Vendula again."

Jorgensen's run time of 34 minutes 10 seconds over the 10km waterfront course was more than one minute clear of most of the field.

Brownlee took control of the men's race from the start of the run, coming home 15 seconds ahead of Gomez, who had won the previous three Auckland events.