ITU Moments of 2017: Javier Gomez Wins Abu Dhabi After Bike Accident

In this video the International Triathlon Union (ITU) looks back at Spanish triathlete Javier Gomez’s victory in World Triathlon Abu Dhabi 2017 in the United Arab Emirates. This was his 50th World Triathlon Series (WTS) race.

Gomez’s closest competitor was Britain’s Tom Bishop. Gomez was way ahead in the first lap of the run. Bishop caught up with him rather quickly. Both of them conserved their energy in the third lap before Gomez sped ahead to the finish line in the fourth.

Bike Crash Ruins 2016 Season for Gomez

Gomez broke his elbow in a bike accident a month before the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. He was about 100 metres from home after an outdoor training session when his chain got stuck. He dropped out of the Olympics.

By this point, the triathlete had already won a few of ITU’s WTS and World Cup races. He had also won two Ironman 70.3 World Championships and obtained a silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics.

The Big 2017 Post-Injury Comeback Story

Gomez decided to take the 2017 season very seriously. He told Triathlete.com, “I just decided I wanted to be back and wanted do well this year, and for me it was very important first to race the [Ironman] 70.3 in Dubai and then the first [ITU World Triathlon Series] in Abu Dhabi. I won both of them and it was a massive boost of confidence.”

His 2017 victories also included WTS races in Montreal and Des Moines, as well as Ironman 70.3 Tennessee. He took fourth in the World Triathlon Grand Final Rotterdam Elite Men’s race, just five seconds behind his anticipated nemesis, Mario Mola, who is also from Spain.