Published May 4, 2011 03:33PM
After pulling off a surprise win at Wildflower, pro triathlete Jesse Thomas is now the man to beat.
Eugene’s Jesse Thomas is no longer the “mystery man.”
He shocked the professional triathlon world last Saturday with a come-from-behind victory in one of the sport’s most prestigious races: the 29th Wildflower long course triathlon near Lake San Antonio, Calif.
In what is essentially his first year as a pro, the 31-year-old Thomas finished the three legs of the triathlon — 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, and 13.1-mile run — in a time of 4 hours, 4 minutes, 45 seconds.
When he reeled in seven runners on the last leg, making up a deficit of 6:30, he had race organizers scrambling to figure out who “that guy in black” was.
“It was definitely my biggest athletic moment,” Thomas said. “I’m no longer the mystery man, that’s for sure.”
Read More: The Register-Guard