Shelton takes his maiden ATP title in Tokyo, Waugh wins Super League Triathlon Championship Series
American Ben Shelton and Brit Kate Waugh brought home two titles in their respective sports, tennis and triathlon, over the weekend.
Zurich, Switzerland, October 23, 2023 - 2023 had already proven to be On athlete Ben Shelton’s breakthrough season on the world stage of tennis. Now, the 21-year-old followed up with his first ATP-level title. Shelton defeated Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1, lifting his first ATP 500 trophy in Tokyo.
In the course of the tournament, Shelton bested local hero Taro Daniel, Australia’s Jordan Thompson, and fellow American Tommy Paul but had to rally against a set down and 2-5 down against Marcos Giron in the semi-finals. Shelton rushed Karatsev to a clear victory in the finals in 84 minutes. The 21-year-old struck 18 winners, used his big lefty serve to his advantage, and pressured Karatsev with blistering returns.
Earlier in his breakout 2023 season, Shelton made it to the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, before reaching the semi-finals at the US Open. He owns a standout 14-2 record in his past 16 matches, having also reached the quarter-finals in Shanghai last week. With his maiden title under his belt, Shelton will now advance to number 15 in the ATP ranking.
On the same weekend, On’s new addition to its triathlon roster, Kate Waugh, claimed her first title with the brand. She was crowned the 2023 Super League Triathlon Championship Series winner, adding to her U23 and Mixed Relay world titles from 2022.
A brutal three-stage enduro battle in hot and windy desert conditions in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, decided the 2023 overall Super League Triathlon Championship series winner, as Waugh, Luxembourg’s Kate Lehair, and France’s Emma Lombardi were vying for the title. The three back-to-back stages of the race tasked athletes with a 300m swim in the warm, salty, and buoyant Red Sea before a single lap of 4km biking on a mix of gravel and asphalt surfaces, before a final 1.6km run each.
In the end, Waugh beat Kate Lehair to second place, which proved to be the deciding factor in the overall ranking. Both athletes finished level on 44 points, but with the final result counting in the event of a tie, the second place, 10 seconds ahead of Lehair, earned Waugh the title.
On the men’s side, Kristian Blummenfelt finished fifth, same as Germany’s Frederic Funk, who was on start in the Challenge Vieux Bocau event in France.
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On was born in the Swiss Alps with one goal: to revolutionize the sensation of running by empowering all to run on clouds. Thirteen years after market launch, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel, and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor, and all-day activities. Fueled by customer recommendation, On’s award-winning CloudTec® innovation, purposeful design, and groundbreaking strides in sportswear’s circular economy have attracted a fast-growing global fan base — inspiring humans to explore, discover and dream on.
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