New Zealand triathletes Hannah Berry and Kyle Smith have won the 2023 IRONMAN 70.3 Taupō competition on their home turf. This victory repeats their success from 2019, the last time the event was held in Taupō.
Hannah Berry led the race from the start, maintaining her position throughout the bike race and then taking the lead early in the run. She finished the race in 4:14:59, over five minutes ahead of Dutch athlete Lotte Wilms and fellow New Zealander Rebecca Clarke.
Berry expressed her excitement about the win, saying, “Feeling super stoked, it means a lot to come here to Taupō, a New Zealand race at home, and take the win.” She added that she was pleased with her performance and that winning was a great way to end the year.
Kyle Smith also won his race in 3:44:30 after a tough competition with Australian Kurt McDonald. In an exciting finish, Kiwi Jack Moody managed to overtake McDonald to secure second place.
Smith was emotional about his victory, saying, “That was incredible, to race here at home is a special feeling and to win here is just incredible.” He added that he was grateful for the support of the home crowd and looked forward to racing at the World Championships next year.
Both Berry and Smith had already secured their places in the 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship prior to this race. Their victories in Taupō have given them a confidence boost ahead of next year’s competition.
