Paterson takes Xterra silver
Scottish athlete overcomes fatigue to claim podium spot
Britain’s Lesley Paterson won silver at the Xterra World Championship in Hawaii yesterday (27 October) despite feeling below her best, arriving second behind Nicky Samuels (NZL).
Two-time defending champion Paterson, 33, crossed the line in 3:00:14, posting the fastest women’s run split of 43:55mins. “I just didn’t feel like I had the legs from the start and that’s a horrible course to feel like that,” she said post-race.
Samuels, 30, grabbed the lead early on in the bike leg and remained there all the way to the finish. She crossed the line in 2:57:48, making her the first female New Zealander to win the title.
Flora Duffy (USA) placed third with a time of 3:00:19, after being overtaken in the final 100m of the run by Paterson. “I couldn’t respond,” she said of Paterson’s late surge. “I was just hoping there was nobody behind Lesley.”
1st: Nicky Samuels (NZL), 2:57:48
2nd: Lesley Paterson (GBR), 3:00:14
3rd: Flora Duffy (USA), 3:00:19
4th: Barbara Riveros (CHI), 3:01:43
5th: Emma Garrard (USA), 3:01:49
6th: Chantell Widney (CAN), 3:04:36
7th: Helena Erbenova (CZE), 3:05:16
8th: Shonny Vanlandingham (USA), 3:05:43
9th: Jacqui Slack (GBR), 3:05:52
10th: Suzie Snyder (USA), 3:08:32
Full results can be viewed here.
(Photo: N20 Photo Services)
Jamie Beach
Former digital editor 
