The PTO T100 in Singapore bore witness to an enthralling showdown between Lucy Charles-Barclay and Ashleigh Gentle, culminating in an admirable triumph for Gentle. At the outset, Charles-Barclay surged ahead during the swim, closely pursued by Lucy Buckingham and Rebecca Clarke. Despite their determined efforts, Charles-Barclay found herself unable to distance herself from her competitors, resulting in a trio maintaining their lead throughout the swim leg, underscoring their mastery of the water.
Exiting the water, Charles-Barclay, Buckingham, and Clarke maintained their lead, with Haley Chura and Lotte Wilms trailing behind by over a minute. Notably, favorites like Ashleigh Gentle were further behind but remained within striking distance. Ellie Salthouse rounded up the top ten out of the water, setting the stage for an intense competition on land.
The dynamics shifted significantly during the cycling leg, with Clarke unable to keep up with Charles-Barclay and Buckingham, leaving the latter two as the frontrunners. Meanwhile, Gentle began her pursuit, gradually closing the gap between her and the leaders. Despite her efforts, Gentle couldn’t bridge the distance immediately, as Charles-Barclay and Buckingham continued to extend their lead.
As the race progressed, the field saw its first dropout as Chelsea Sodaro withdrew from the competition. Additionally, Gentle struggled to close the gap, trailing the leading duo by a considerable margin. At the halfway mark of the cycling leg, Charles-Barclay and Buckingham solidified their dominance, with a substantial lead over the chasing group.
However, Buckingham faced a setback when cramps struck during a crucial moment on the bike course. Though momentarily hindered, she managed to recover and rejoin Charles-Barclay, maintaining their lead. Behind them, Dutch athlete Els Visser made significant strides, climbing up the ranks and entering T2 in third place, surprising many with her performance.
During the run leg, Gentle showcased her formidable running prowess, swiftly overtaking Visser and securing third place. Meanwhile, at the front, Charles-Barclay and Buckingham engaged in a tight battle, with Gentle steadily narrowing the gap. In the final kilometers, Gentle surged ahead, seizing the lead from Charles-Barclay and securing victory.
Gentle’s impressive performance earned her the top spot with a finishing time of 3:44:23, followed closely by Charles-Barclay in second place with a time of 3:45:58. Visser maintained her position to clinch third place, crossing the finish line in 3:51:38. Despite the intense competition and unforeseen challenges, the athletes demonstrated resilience and determination throughout the race, making for a thrilling spectacle in Singapore.
