1st Place in Hungary for Brent McMahon!

Canada’s Brent McMahon Runs to First Ever World Cup Triathlon Title in Hungary

—Victory marks major breakthrough on road back from injury to elite form—

Tiszaujvaros, HUNGARY—Canada’s Brent McMahon broke through to win his first World Cup victory on the historic Tiszaujvaros, Hungary course on Sunday.

Taking advantage of the fittest shape he has been in his career, the 30-year-old McMahon clocked a winning time of one hour, 48 minutes, 16 seconds (1:48:16).

“I just came in to this race so ready, but didn’t peg myself into any place,” said McMahon at the finish. “I did everything I could and got the win.”

McMahon was a force to reckon with the second he hit the water for the 1.5-kilometre swim at the prestigious World Cup stop in Tiszaujvaros. Working off the back of the front group of four-to-five athletes in the swim, the 2004 Olympian from Victoria came out of the water and worked with a group of seven on the 40-kilometre bike to set up the memorable run.

“I did a non-draft race last week where I just put my head down and hammered,” said McMahon. “That’s what I did today again.”

Three laps into the 10-kilometre run it appeared McMahon would be in a fight for the bronze medal, but he slowly chipped away at chasing down second spot before grabbing the Canadian flag on the finishing carpet for the golden run to the finish line.

“I have struggled with the start of my run all year and have been building the back half of it,” said McMahon. “So I went out harder today and still knew I had the balk half to go. At five kilometres, I said ‘Let’s do this!’ I picked the pace up, and was biding my time.”

McMahon passed third place finisher Akos Vanek, of Hungary, who clocked a time of 1:48:43, before hunting down the silver-medal winner, Aaron Harris of Great Britain (1:48:22).

“I felt so strong today. I knew I’d get it, it was just a matter of time,” said McMahon, who also won three ITU Continental Cup bronze medals earlier this year in his comeback to elite form after taking 18 months off with a knee injury.

Two other Canadian men also hit the start line on Sunday. Victoria’s Andrew Russell finished 22nd at 1:50:36, while Andre Paula Baillargeon-Smith, of St. Catherines, Ont., was 56th at 1:56:57.

Meanwhile, Quebec’s Manon Letourneau was the top Canadian in the women’s race after placing 39th at 2:05:35. Edmonton’s Chantell Widney was 43rd with a time of 2:06:05.

Gwen Jorgensen, of the United States, who finished second last weekend at the World Championship Series in London, captured her first World Cup victory with a time of 1:59:54.

The Canadian squad will now head to Kelowna, B.C. for the National Championships, August 20-21, 2011.