ITU World Triathlon Series

Men’s Press Conference Reactions

10 September 2009

The top guys in the world were present at the men’s athlete press conference ahead of their race on Saturday, with Alistair Brownlee, Javier Gomez, Maik Petzold and the Australian pairing of Brad Kahlefeldt and Courtney Atkinson taking time out to speak to the media.

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“I’m looking it as an individual race, and I’m going in it to win, but of course what I have to do to win the series is going to be in the back of my head and if someone rides up the road who isn’t a threat then I don’t have to follow. It’s like any other race and of course every athlete wants to win, so that’s my mindset. Someone from British Triathlon made a spreadsheet for me about where I need to finish to win, but it’s not the kind of thing I want to worry about to be honest, I just want to treat it like any other race and get on with it and enjoy it.”
- Alistair Brownlee

“It’s almost two races in one. There are athletes who have not raced too much this season and so they will come and be fresher than those of us who have raced a lot, so you can expect them to have their best races here. It makes it more interesting.”
- Maik Petzold

Alistair has been the best this year, the most consistent, and he’s got the opportunity to capitalise on that and be crowned as just that, the best athlete of the year.

Courtney Atkinson

“I think the best thing about the series is that we race week in week out all year and Alistair has been the best this year, the most consistent, and he’s got the opportunity to capitalise on that and be crowned as just that, the best athlete of the year. In the past we’ve had so many world champions in our sport who haven’t necessarily been the best in any given year, and so the new series will reward the very best. We have the Olympic Games every four years to have that one off special day, but the best is always going to be the best and this series recognises that.”
- Courtney Atkinson

“I think this year there are more people who can run faster, so that makes it really tight at the front. I think the sprint finish really depends on how fresh you are feeling at the end, and on this course where it is flat, it will be hard to get away.”
- Javier Gomez

“When I came back to Australia from London I went back to hospital for five days and had the toe injury looked at, but because I’m here on the Gold Coast, my home town, I’m determined to give it my best. I have responsibilities to my friends, family, the Federation and sponsors to compete to the best I can. Obviously in front of the other guys here I’d say I was at 100%, but we’ll see at about five to six kilometres on the run how I’m doing!”
- Brad Kahlefeldt