Canada's Alexis Lepage earns 1st career medal at triathlon World Cup
25-year-old sprints through finish line to win tightly contested bronze
Canada's Alexis Lepage earned the first medal of his career in a photo finish at the triathlon World Cup on Sunday in Chengdu, China.
Lepage, 25, completed the three-tiered race in 27 minutes 55 seconds, just four seconds ahead of Chile's Felipe Barazza.
The rare two-day event combined a 500-metre swim with a 10-kilometre bike and 2.5 km run. Lepage, from Gatineau, Que., had racked up a pair of DNFs (did not finish) in his last two races.
"I didn't expect that today, but I've been working so hard and I have been training quite good. It just feels so great to be on the podium," said Lepage.
WATCH | Lepage sprints to bronze at triathlon World Cup:
Australia's Matthew Hauser won gold in 27:42, while American Ben Kanute edged Lepage by less than one second for silver.
Lepage built early momentum with his swim, from which he emerged in third place. He completed the bike ride one spot behind, but conserved enough energy to sprint to the finish line to earn his spot on the podium.
"It was a pretty tough sprint finish. I thought I was going to get second, but Ben [Kanute] passed me in the last five metres. It just feels so great to be on the podium," said Lepage.
Lepage's first major international medals came last year with a gold and silver medal in CAMTRI races.