Jorgensen has the color she wants – the gold she won by 40 seconds in 1 hour, 56 minutes, 16 seconds as she pulled away in the stretch, taking the first Olympic triathlon title by a USA athlete.
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Nicola Spirig, the 2012 gold medalist from Switzerland, was behind Jorgensen by 40 seconds with a time of 1:56:56.
The triathlon – which consists of swimming, biking and running – was added as an Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney Games. The Swiss triathlete, who has only completed two WTS races since London (and has not competed against Jorgensen since the 2012 Games), surged repeatedly off the front. She has won more World Triathlon Series races than anyone and is the only woman to win the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final twice since its introduction in 2009.
Sarah True, the third member of Team USA and the fourth-place finisher in London, experienced knee pain after her swim and was lapped out of the race.
“I tried everything, and she was just too strong”, said Spirig.
“That’s the most fantastic thing because she was very clear”.
Everyone in the field knew that if Jorgensen remained in that pack going into the run it would be next to impossible to beat her. “She’s a strong athlete, a hard worker and a really great person to have around”.
She predicted the eight-lap bike course would be “a breaking point” in the race, because of a cruel hill that had to be crested over and over.
Jorgensen’s quest combined her long-held Olympic ambition, the methodical mind of a certified public accountant, a multisport background at the University of Wisconsin and fearsome closing speed in the 10-kilometer run.
“I don’t think you ever expect someone to be the best in the world at anything, but obviously it’s been a great surprise”, said coach Eric Lehmann. Throughout the course, Spirig could be seen speaking to the women behind her several times, appearing to ask them to step and pull, though was rarely successful.
From 2013 through 2015, Spirig gave birth to a boy, ran marathons, even an Ironman triathlon, all while Jorgensen ascended to become one of the most dominant female athletes on the planet.
“Just thinking about all the investments they’ve put into me and thinking about the four years, it all came down to one day”, Jorgensen said. “I think that’s something you have to be aware of and prepared for”. “I would have never thought that I’d be in this position that I’m in right now”.
On the first of four laps, Jorgensen darted to the lead.
Spirig’s coach called her lack of races against Jorgensen neither an advantage nor a disadvantage.
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“I’m 30, I’m definitely grandma in the group – Patrick (her husband) and I are called grandma and grandpa because we always go to bed early”. “But I have zero plans for August 21”.
