Miguel Hidalgo wins the Brasilia stage of the Triathlon World Cup
In Brazil's return to the triathlon world circuit, the outcome was historic. On Sunday (15), 23-year-old Miguel Hidalgo won the Brasilia leg of the triathlon World Cup, an event that marked the country's return to hosting a competition of this size after 19 years.
It was Hidalgo's first victory in a tournament of this kind, which is worth points towards qualifying for next year's Paris Olympics. The countdown began on 27 May 2022 and runs until 27 May 2024. Hidalgo is currently ranked 11th in the world this season.
Hidalgo's difficulties and perseverance
Hidalgo faced difficulties at the start of the race in the swimming section, which is 1.5 kilometres long. However, he managed to recover and take the lead with good performances in cycling (40 kilometres) and the ten-kilometre run, which finishes the race.
The Brazilian finished the course with a time of 1 hour, 48 minutes and 1 second, securing first place. Spain's Antonio Serrat took the silver medal, while Canada's Charles Paquet completed the podium.
After the competition, Hidalgo revealed that he had stomach problems in the final stretch of the race, but persevered to bring home the victory in front of the Brazilian fans who watched the competition under the scorching sun.
"It's an incredible feeling, the fans really pushed me on that last lap, because I was having stomach problems in the second half of the race. I didn't feel in control at any point, on the last lap I didn't even think I was going to make the podium. I can't believe I made it yet. Now I just want to enjoy the podium," said the athlete in a statement to the international federation.
Hidalgo's victory is an important milestone for Brazil on the world triathlon stage, paving the way for future competitions and strengthening the country's presence in this high-performance sport.
