Messias scores Brazil its first-ever Junior World Title

by Erin Greene on 18 Sep, 2015 12:59 • Español
When thunderstorms caused the men’s 2015 ITU World Championship men’s junior race to be delayed and shifted to a duathlon.

When thunderstorms caused the men’s 2015 ITU World Championship men’s junior race to be delayed and shifted to a duathlon, Manoel Messias (BRA) seized the opportunity to strike hot, scoring his first world title in Chicago. The title is the first time Brazil was represented on the top of the podium at the Junior World Championship race.

In a feisty battle down the finish cute, Messias shot past Germany’s Peer Sonksen and France’s Leo Bergere, who took second and third, respectively. When the course changed from a sprint triathlon to a two-lap 5km run, four-lap 20km bike and one-lap 2.5km run, more than 65 men started their hunt for one world title in front of Buckingham Fountain.

The wide, flat streets created the opportunity for a large chunk of the field to run together in the first discipline of the race. More than 20 men came into the first transition within five second of each other headed up by Spain’s Roberto Sanchez Mantecon. The group also included eventual winner Messias, as well as second and third place finishers Peer Sonksen and Leo Bergere.

Sanchez set about powering out of transition to create some distance over the field. Together with Bergere, Gustav Iden (NOR), Tayler Reid (NZL) and Max Studer (SUI), the men managed to drop nearly half of the pack early on the bike for a 14-front group.

While Reid attempted to go off the front a number of times, his attacks were short lived as the group shot back up to him every time. Coming off the four-lap bike, the Junior had just one lap back out on Columbus Street before the world title would be decided.

It was a decisive lap as many of the racers fell off a blistering pace. Coming around the Fountain for the final time, it looked like Sonksen would be crowned the fastest man of the day, but Messias managed to kick up his velocity in the final metres, scorching past the German just in time to claim the top honours with a roaring scream. Sonksen and Bergere both joined Messias in rounding out the top three for their first World Championship podiums.


Article gallery
Related Event: 2015 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Chicago
15 - 20 Sep, 2015 • event pageall results
Related articles
  • Age group sprint athletes prevail in Chicago
    Representing more than 40 nations, nearly 2000 age group athletes pushed themselves to the limits in search of ITU Age Group Sprint World Championship titles on Thursday.
    08:22 - 17 Sep, 2015
  • Birtwhistle (AUS) brilliant for men's U23 world title
    The 2015 ITU World Triathlon Series Grand Final Chicago officially kicked off Thursday morning with the under23 men’s World Champion being crowned.
    01:31 - 17 Sep, 2015
  • Elites and paratriathletes speak with Grand Final media
    The 2015 World Triathlon Series has been fast and historical, and as the Chicago Grand Final gets underway with the paratriathlon and elite races on Friday and Saturday, the Series finale will most likely be one that the triathlon world will…
    08:54 - 16 Sep, 2015
  • Varga victorious at Aquathlon World Champs a fourth time
    The ITU Aquathlon World Championships kicked off a week of action at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Chicago on Wednesday with elite, paratriathlon, junior, U23 and age groupers racing over a 750m swim and 5km run.
    05:13 - 16 Sep, 2015
  • ITU joins WADA Legacy Outreach Program at Grand Final
    WADA and ITU today launched the second installment of WADA’s Legacy Outreach Program series at the World Triathlon Grand Final in Chicago, which runs from 15-19 September.
    05:45 - 15 Sep, 2015
  • Columbia Threadneedle Rankings Report Chicago 2015
    In this special edition we preview the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Chicago, and also look back on some highlights of the season so far, brought to you by Columbia Threadneedle.
    09:18 - 14 Sep, 2015
  • Gomez drives for five titles in Chicago
    The race for the men's elite World Championship title is one of the closest to be contested since the start of the ITU World Triathlon Series, with only 530 points separating the top four men in the Columbia Threadneedle Rankings.
    07:56 - 13 Sep, 2015
  • Jorgensen to defend world title on home soil
    The women's ITU World Championship title will be decided in a heated battle on Friday at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Chicago with only 300 points separating the first two women - both Americans.
    07:17 - 13 Sep, 2015
  • Chicago to crown Junior World Champs
    All eyes will be fixated on the world of triathlon this week as the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Chicago swings into action.
    12:57 - 12 Sep, 2015
Tracker Pixel for Entry