Triathlete erases SEA Games disappointment to finish fourth in Asian Under-23 c'ship
She may have had a disappointing debut at this SEA Games, but Singapore triathlete Winona Howe is not one to linger over a defeat.
Just a few days after the June 6 women's race when she was lapped following a bike crash, the 20-year-old had to pack her bags and fly to Taipei for the Asian Triathlon Under-23 Championships on June 11.
And she made up for her disappointment at home when she ended the event with a strong fourth-place finish.
Howe narrowly missed out on third spot by just 100m, with Japanese athletes sweeping the podium.
She also exacted revenge over newly crowned SEA Games gold medallist Claire Adorna, overtaking the Philippines star in the final running segment after charging through the pack on her bike.
HEARTBREAKING
"It was heartbreaking to lose my first SEA Games in Singapore as I trained really hard for it," Howe told The New Paper yesterday.
"This championships showed that I was on the right track to achieving my goals for this year."
Japan's Shiho Sato clocked 1hr 9min 40sec to win the Asian Under-23 race and Howe's time was 1:12.40. She also improved her swim time by a minute.
The performance saw Howe qualify for the World Under-23 Championships in Chicago in September.
"There is still a lot for me to work on before I can race at an international level, but my training over the past few months has helped me gain more confidence," she said.
Coach Scott Larsen was impressed by Howe's determination after her loss at the SEA Games.
"It was a tough result to deal with, but Winona showcased her mental and physical aptitude to recover from that," she said.
"The worlds competition will be an excellent platform for her development as she will be competing with the best under-23 triathletes from around the world."
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