Frederic Funk wins silver at Ironman 70.3 World Championships
Germany’s Frederic Funk has claimed second place in a German podium sweep at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. Fellow On athlete Paula Findlay claimed rank five.
Lahti, Finland, August 27, 2023 - On triathletes Frederic Funk (GER) and Paula Findlay (CAN) claimed one top-ten result and a medal at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Lahti, Finland.
In the men’s event, Funk was part of a bigger leading group coming out of the water and then proceeded to race at the head of the field in the bike section. As the German and Frenchman Mathis Margirier continued to push the pace, by the end of the bike, only the eventual winner Rico Bogen, fellow Germans Jan Stratmann and Nieschlag, along with Great Britain’s Joshua Lewis, were able to remain in the top group.
Two kilometers into the running race, Rico Bogen made his move and pulled away from the group, storming towards the gold medal. Margirier tried to follow but was caught by Funk, who powered to the finish and claimed a silver medal in 3:33.26.
In the women’s event, Paula Findlay was looking to repeat her silver medal performance from 2022 and came out of the water as part of a bigger pursuing group. After the transition, Findlay was gunning for the leading Taylor Knibb in the bike chase pack with Swiss triathlon legend Daniela Ryf, and the two closed the gap to approximately two minutes. However, in the end, Knibb proved untouchable. She attacked the run course with a comfortable lead and finished to claim the gold, while Findlay also had to let go of Kat Matthews, Imogen Simmonds, and Emma Pallant-Browne in the fight for the podium. The Canadian ended up in fifth in an overall time of 4:00:32.
Matt Hanson ended his competition on rank 30th in 3:47:57 and reigning Olympic Champion Kristian Blummenfelt, who had been battling illness the week before the event, finished in 36th.
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