IN the final Powerman World Series event of the year in Seri Manjung, Malaysia, Michelle Parsons produced yet another podium position to finish in the top 10 of the world rankings.
The Evesham-based athlete also had the added bonus of beating the reigning world champion Melanie Burke from New Zealand in the same race to end up third in three hours eight minutes 36 seconds.
The Malaysian event started with a 11-kilometre run and it was soon evident Radka Vodickova wasn’t going to have it all her own way, as Kristina Lapinova, from Slovakia and Airi Sawada, from Japan, were the pacesetters.
Vodickova held a 10-second lead over Lapinova and Sawada with Parsons in the group some 30 seconds back including Burke and Abad from the Philippines. With a quick transition from all the top athletes, it was onto the 64-kilometre bike section of the race. The gaps started to appear as both Echelon-Rotor Club member Parsons and Melanie Burke worked hard to drop the faster runners. Burke recorded the fastest bike spilt of the day with Team Tri UK racer Parsons just six seconds slower and they led into the second transition, closely followed by Sawada with Vodickova in fourth. On the second 11km run, Vodickova caught and passed the three leaders and built up a good lead, running quicker than she had on the first 11km run to finish in 3.03.41. Sawada was second in 3.04.53. That left Parsons and Burke to battle for third place and, after the first lap, the former had built up a 27-second gap over the New Zealander, which she extended slightly on the second lap to hold on for third.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here