Sports

Canada's Whitfield takes silver in triathlon

by kferaday | August 18, 2008 at 11:26 pm

416 views | 7 Recommendations | 3 comments

Well I'm Canadian so this is going to be very biased. Simon Whitfield had an unbelievable race. He was like a prize fighter who keeps getting knocked down but refuses to throw in the towel. By my count he came back to the lead group three times on the run. Unbelievable. The last time I don't think there was anyone, myself included, who thought he was going to come back. But he did and then laid his cards on the table like a true champion. Unfortunately on this day there was one man better, Jan Frodeno. Just unbelievable.

If you've ever been in a similar situation, which I suspect most of you haven't you'll know how hard it is to come back once let alone several times. But that's Whitfield. Just like in 2000 he embraces the immensity of the moment and simply give everything and then some. Awesome race and a well deserved victory for Frodeno.

One final note. Barrie Shepley did a great job calling the race on CBC. For my money Barrie and Byron Macdonald who called the swimming are the best analysts at this Olympics. Kudos to both of them for an outstanding job.

If you didn't see the triathlon -- try to find it on YouTube the finish was unbelievable -- a slugfest featuring the titans of the sport.

Canada's Simon Whitfield captured the silver medal in the men's triathlon Tuesday at the Beijing Olympics.

Whitfield, from Victoria, mounted a furious rally to briefly take the lead late in the closing sprint before being overtaken over the final stretch by Germany's Jan Frodeno.

4 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

julianw

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 09:50 on August 19th, 2008

kferaday, I like this story. It's good stuff. Truly an incredible finish. I thought Whitfield was finished when he fell away from the three leaders during the last lap, but he clawed his way back. He is one of the most exciting athletes on the internet.

Colin McDarmont

at 13:03 on August 19th, 2008

Simon cruising to victory in the Canada Day 10k, this is the second time I have witnessed SImon running, the first while watching the Sydney Olympics (my home land), as Simon ran to the front on the last down hill for the Gold !!!

Colin McDarmont has contributed a photo to this story.