Image: Sportograf for Ironman
By Kent Gray/Triathlon.kiwi
Triathlon has an uncanny knack of knocking your confidence just when you figured you had an overabundance of the intangible stuff, but Ben Hamilton happily has his mojo back after a maiden pro win at Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast.
The 25-year-old Aucklander ticked off the 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run in 3:39:17 to beat defending champion and West Australian Nick Thompson by just over 90secs. It was some feat considering Hamilton’s last start in Mooloolaba two years ago was when he won the overall age group title, not to mention his run of bad luck the past month or so.
Rotorua’s Sam Osborne (3:42:38) gave New Zealand two of the three podium spots and Cantabrian Tom Somerville (3:52:13) a fourth top-10 result while Hannah Knighton (4:18:00) was a creditable 6th in the women’s race won by Queenslander Milan Agnew (4:07:51).
After a stunning start to 2024 with bronze medals at the Tauranga Half and Ironman NZ and second at Ironman 70.3 St George, Hamilton’s next two races leading into Mooloolaba didn’t go exactly to plan.
He was forced to DNF from Ironman Cairns in mid June 27km into the run due to cramping in his diaphragm which meant he couldn’t take on fuel. Then in his next Ironman Pro Series start on August 18, a crash and resulting mechanical meant he was forced to run his bike up the last couple of hills and was just happy to finish in 50th at Ironman Frankfurt.
Sunday’s win has Hamilton back on track for his three remaining races of the year – the Oct. 26 Vinfast Ironman World Championships in Kona, 70.3 Busselton in Western Australia (Dec.1) and the 70.3 worlds in Taupo on Dec. 15.
“My first pro win, so I’m super, super happy with that,” Hamilton told Triathlon.kiwi.
“It’s really cool, I was overall age-group winner two years ago and that was only my second Ironman 70.3 so it’s been a hell of a journey to get here. To step up, take my Pro license and come here and get the win is really special,” he said.
“It’s just a nice confidence booster for me after racing Cairns and Frankfurt and the races not going the way I wanted them to go and knowing what I was capable of as an athlete.
“So to be kind of racing like I was at the beginning of the year again is really, really good.
In terms of my career, it’s definitely a pretty special race and means a lot to finally get a win.”
Hamilton now has seven weeks to prep for the biggest race of his life, the Ironman Worlds in Kona, Hawaii.
“It’ll be great experience to race both the world champs [Kona and Taupo] and I would be ecstatic to achieve a top 10 at either race for my first time,” Hamilton said.
“I probably had the best swim that I’ve ever had [in Mooloolaba]. I know I’ve been swimming a lot better and to come out with the front pack was really good
“Kona is the next objective and there’s still a lot of work to do over the full distance but this is a really positive sign. If I can swim like that continuously now, I’ll be really happy.”
IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast – Professional Men’s Results
- Ben Hamilton – 3:39:17
- Nick Thompson – 3:40:53
- Sam Osborne – 3:42:38
- Jonathan Sammut – 3:43:51
- Jack Sosinski – 3:46:09
- Hamish Longmuir – 3:48:19
- Harry Sinclair – 3:49:04
- Jarrod Osborne – 3:49:41
- Daniel McDonnell – 3:50:36
- Tom Somerville – 3:52:13
IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast – Professional Women’s Results
1. Milan Agnew – 4:07:51
2. Sophie Malowiecki – 4:08:16
3. Radka Kahlefeldt – 4:10:20
4. Natalie Van Coevorden – 4:11:40
5. Chloe Hartnett – 4:15:22
6. Hannah Knighton – 4:18:00
7. Emily Donker – 4:24:49
8. Cassandra Heaslip – 4:27:15
9. Paige Cranage – 4:29:29
10. Kate Bevilaqua – 4:36:09
