Rio Olympian claims Golden Gift on a Golden Day
IAS Graduate Madeline Hills finished seventh in the steeplechase at Rio, but recently was all about gold for claiming the Leonora Golden Gift.
Blitzing the strongest ever elite mile women’s field, Hills clocked 4:41.22 to win $6000 and a one ounce gold ingot ahead of Brittany McGowan and Abigail Regan.
“I first heard about Leonora about a decade ago and I came three years ago, it’s great to get out here and the field is getting stronger,” she said.
“I wasn’t considering myself the favorite at all, I’d be very excited to come back again “
Hills said she would use her prize money to head to Europe to race.
“The money really helps make this possible,” she said.
However, she will trade her gold ingot for a pet dog.
Caleb Ewan sprints to maiden Giro stage victory
After three top-10 finishes in the opening week, IAS Graduate Caleb Ewan has finally won a stage in the Giro d’Italia.
The Orica-Scott rider took the seventh stage in a sprint finish for his first career Giro victory while Bob Jungels held on to the pink jersey.
Ewan finished half a wheel ahead of Colombian rider Fernando Gaviria to erase memories of his second-place result in the opening stage and ninth and eighth place finishes in stages two and three.
“It feels so good after the first few disappointments I’ve had. I don’t think I’ve felt so good before,” Ewan said.
Ewan also won a stage in the Spanish Vuelta two years ago.
Sam Bennett of Ireland crossed third while standout sprinter Andre Greipel was fourth after the mainly flat but lengthy 224km route from Castrovillari to Alberobello.
Jungels, of Luxembourg, maintained his six-second advantage over Geraint Thomas of Wales. Fellow Briton Adam Yates remained four seconds further back, with most of the overall favourites.
“It’s not a disappointment for our team to not win with Fernando Gaviria today, because he did a great sprint and the team helped him,” Jungels said. “It’s no shame to lose against Caleb Ewan who is very fast.”
Ewan had the best line coming around the final corner and narrowly held off the charging Gaviria, while Greipel appeared to lack some energy.
“I had to do some work with three kilometres to go so I was a little tired for the sprint,” Ewan said. “But Luka [Mezgec] did a great leadout, so it was perfect.”
Saturday’s eighth stage is a 189km leg from Molfetta to Peschici that features a short, steep uphill finish.
First printed in the SMH on 13th May 2017
