On a rain-drenched Wednesday, France’s Cassandre Beaugrand swam through the Seine, navigated the cobblestone surrounding the Champs-Élysées, then finally crossed the finish line on the Pont Alexandre III bridge in 1:54:55 — with the Eiffel Tower not far behind her.
It was the result the crowds swarming the 31.93-mile course wanted: a French champion in women’s triathlon.
Switzerland’s Julie Derron claimed silver six seconds after Beaugrand’s victory, neck-and-neck to the end with Great Britain’s Beth Potter, who earned bronze — shutting down fourth-place finisher Emma Lombardi in the process. The difference between second and fourth was just 0.15 of a second.
Though Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Flora Duffy of Bermuda was first out of the water, she eventually dropped to fifth place — a minute and change behind Beaugrand.
More to come. …
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