KOTA KINABALU: Uzbekistani triathletes dominated the Asia Triathlon Cup 2024 race held at Tanjung Aru near here.
Jeremy Quindos emerged as champion in the Elite Men's category, finishing the event in 54:39, followed closely by his compatriot, Aleksandr Kurishov, who finished just 10 seconds behind.
The third spot in the Elite Men's division went to Australian Oscar Dart, who crossed the finish line at 54:58.
In both the Elite and age group divisions, athletes completed a 750-metre swim, followed by a 20-kilometre bike ride and a 5-kilometre run to the finish line.
In the Super Sprint division, athletes swam 450 metres, cycled 10 kilometres, and ran 2.5 kilometres to complete the course.
Meanwhile, in the Elite Women's division, US triathlete Michelle Magnani emerged as champion after crossing the finish line in 1:00:48, followed by South Korean Jeong Hye Rim at 1:01:06 and Australian Sian Munks at 1:01:18.
The Elite division winners each received US$850 (RM3,725), while the first and second runners-up received US$600 and US$450, respectively.
Additionally, the fourth and fifth-place winners in the Elite categories received US$200 and US$100, respectively.
This year's event featured a stellar lineup of 63 elite athletes from 13 countries, including Japan, Australia, the United States, Great Britain, Uzbekistan, and various Southeast Asian nations, including Malaysia.
Held for the second year, the championship was fully sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) and organised by the local sports event organiser, XMultiSports Event.
The event was graced by Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) Deputy Director-General of Operations, Robert Lipon.