Belen battles knee pain to win Melaka triathlon after making comeback
KUALA LUMPUR: Belen Olcina Sempere thought her comeback to competitive triathlon was going well until her knee began hurting during the run.
Belen Olcina Sempere, a Spaniard, triumphed in the women's Olympic Distance triathlon at the Melaka International Sports Festival held in Malaysia. She crossed the finish line after a grueling 3:00:43, overcoming knee pain during the run. Belen's return to competitive triathlon came after she moved to Malaysia, marking a significant milestone in her sporting career that began at university in Spain.
She expressed her joy at finishing as the fastest female triathlete despite the discomfort in her knee. The event, which took place at Encore Melaka, attracted 1,500 participants from over 45 countries. The race, consisting of a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride, and 10km run, was only the second standard-distance triathlon for Belen since she stepped up from the sprint distance in May. Her victory has sparked thoughts of pursuing middle-distance triathlon in the future.
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