Jelle Geens Defends Half-Distance Triathlon World Championship Title in Marbella Thriller

Back-to-Back Champion: Geens overcomes crash and mechanical setbacks to win three-second sprint over Blummenfelt.

On triathlete Jelle Geens from Belgium has successfully defended his title at the Half-Distance Triathlon World Championship, securing victory in a breathtaking spring finish against Norway’s and fellow On athlete Kristian Blummenfelt. Geens clinched the win by a mere three seconds, crossing the line in a time of 3:42.52, followed by Blummenfelt in 3:42.55.

Despite starting the day 58 seconds behind the leaders after the swim, and enduring a mechanical issue on the 90km bike course following an early crash, Geens showcased phenomenal resolve. He utilized his race-best run split to bridge the gap and set up the dramatic final kilometer.

Geens turned on the burners as the run got underway, making up the time he had lost early on in the run due to a sore hip from his crash. Blummenfelt stuck with the pace, and by kilometer five, they had built a 17-second lead on third-place Schomburg. Geens tried to attack Blummenfelt on the mini climbs, but couldn’t shake him off just yet. As the two entered the finish line chute, Geens powered ahead to take the victory and become just the fourth male athlete in the history of the Half-Distance Triathlon World Championship to achieve back-to-back victories.

“The race had a lot of ups and downs, starting with a crash on the bike that left my rear derailleur bent and my hip sore,” said Geens. “But I had one thing in mind: to win. The run battle with Kristian was intense; we were elbows-to-elbows right up to the line. I knew I had to be first into that final U-turn to launch the sprint, and I just went all out. Defending this World Championship means a lot, especially doing it with everyone who helped me be here.”