Amorelli, Haskins Dominate 70.3 Puerto Rico
Sarah Haskins put together a flawless day in her first attempt at the 70.3 distance.
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Brazil’s Igor Amorelli claimed the men’s win with a solid all-around effort at Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico, while the United States’ Sarah Haskins put together a flawless day in her first attempt at the 70.3 distance. The race also featured some tense moments as a civilian altercation reportedly spilled onto the race course, resulting in the injury of two competitors.
RELATED PHOTOS: 2015 Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico
Men’s Race
Amorelli was third out of the water with a 24:53 swim split, first off of the bike with a 2:07:56 bike split and first at the finish line thanks to a 1:21:12 run split. The Brazilian earned an overall time of 3:54:59 and was the only athlete of the day to go under the four-hour mark. American Chris Leiferman was second across the finish line at 4:00:24 thanks in large part to his field-leading 1:20:14 half-marathon. Canada’s Cedric Boily rounded out the podium in 4:02:23.
Women’s Race
Haskins led her first long-distance race from start to finish. The 2008 Olympian exited the water at 25:44, with fellow Americans Laurel Wassner (26:19), Dede Griesbauer (26:33) and Kelly Williamson (27:40) coming out as the closest chasers. Griesbauer stayed within striking distance, but Haskins turned in a strong run to round out the stellar day. Haskins earned the win at 4:21:31. Griesbauer was next at 4:28:50, with Jackie Hering following in third.
Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico – March 15, 2015
1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run
Men
1. Igor Amorelli (BRA) 3:54:59
2. Chris Leiferman (USA) 4:00:24
3. Cedric Boiley (CAN) 4:02:23
4. Matthew Russell (USA) 4:03:03
5. Frank Silvestrin Souza (BRA) 4:03:53
Women
1. Sarah Haskins (USA) 4:21:31
2. Dede Griesbauer (USA) 4:28:50
3. Jackie Hering (USA) 4:31:54
4. Maja Stage Nielsen (DEN) 4:34:38
5. Sarah Cameto (USA) 4:35:53
On-Course Incident
Several people on course at the race posted on social media about an incident that reportedly involved gunfire and a police pursuit. Ironman released the following statement about the events that led to the injury of two participants.
“This morning along the bike course of the Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico triathlon, there was a civilian altercation that resulted in the injury of two Ironman athletes and a non-event fatality. The San Juan Police have indicated that this was an isolated incident, the race and athletes were not a target, and the course is safe for the race to continue. We are working with local authorities throughout today’s race to ensure our athlete’s safety. At this time, there is no further information available on the athletes’ injuries, who are in stable condition at the local hospital. As there is an ongoing investigation into the incident, any media inquiries should be directed to local authorities.”