The IRONMAN 70.3 Waco Triathlon was overshadowed by a tragic incident during the swim portion of the race, but also featured strong performances from a trio of Bermudian athletes who successfully navigated the challenging half-Ironman course.
The event was marred by the death of a competitor who required medical assistance during the 1.2-mile swim in the Brazos River. The athlete was transported to a local hospital where they later died.
IRONMAN officials issued a statement confirming the tragedy and expressing their deepest condolences to the athlete’s family and friends, stating they were offering support to those affected. Details regarding the athlete were not immediately released, but the incident casts a somber note on the day's proceedings.
Despite the difficult news, three female triathletes proudly representing Bermuda delivered impressive finishes, battling the Texan conditions across the 70.3-mile distance (1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run).
Lesley-Jane Smith was the first Bermudian across the finish line, recording a superb time of 6 hours and 40 seconds (6:00:40) to place 481st overall.
Smith's consistent pacing across all three disciplines proved key. She completed the swim in 35:10, followed by a swift 3:01:35 on the bike, and sealed her race with a 2:10:05 run. This strong showing secured her an excellent 12th place in the competitive Female 40-44 Age Group Division and saw her finish as the 65th female overall.
Closely following Smith was Melissa Logie, who clocked in at 6:07:38 to take 543rd place overall.
Logie began her race with a 42:27 swim time. She then powered through the bike segment in 3:02:44, before showing impressive endurance on the run course, finishing in 2:09:27—the fastest run split among the Bermudian women. Logie finished 14th in the Female 40-44 Age Group Division and was the 80th female overall finisher.
Rounding out the Bermudian contingent was Nicola Hallett. Hallett's final time of 6:25:21 saw her finish 727th overall, with splits of 46:59 for the swim, 3:03:05 for the bike, and 2:22:34 for the run.
Hallett's performance was particularly notable as her time earned her a top-10 finish in her category, placing 10th in the Female 50-54 Age Group Division. She was the 123rd female to cross the finish line, concluding a determined day of racing for the Bermuda flag in Texas.
|
