Luke Willian has capped off his remarkable season with a 15th place finish at the World Triathlon Championship Finals, securing sixth in the World Triathlon Championship Series rankings.
Meanwhile, teammate Matt Hauser finished eighth in the Championship Series rankings, despite a DNF at the Finals.
It marks the first time in nearly a decade that two Australian men have placed in the top ten of the World Triathlon Championship Series, with Ryan Bailie and Aaron Royle being the last in 2015.
For Willian, his Finals performance bookends a season filled with milestones, including his first World Triathlon Championship Series podium in Yokohama, top ten finishes in Cagliari and Weihai, and his Olympic debut in Paris.
In what has been his most successful season yet, the 28-year-old has firmly established himself among the world’s top triathletes.
“I’m pretty stoked with that, I left everything out there – and a bit. I’m proud of that effort today,” Willian said.
“These big championship events, the racing goes up that next level and everyone wants to do the best they can. They go out hard and its aggressive racing. You have to hang on as long as you can and enjoy the ride.
“That’s my top finish in a Championship Final ever and my highest finish in the Series. Everything is coming together and I’m looking forward to next year coming back bigger and better.”
Hauser saw his bid for a podium finish in the World Triathlon Championship Series end prematurely after a crash on the bike leg. A strong swim which saw him exit T1 in the lead, however a mishap on the first lap of the bike forced him to withdraw from the race.
Despite the DNF, Hauser finished eighth in the overall Championship Series rankings, wrapping up another impressive season which featured gold in Hamburg, silver in Yokohama, and a seventh place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“Hopefully he’s all good,” Willian said.
“We ride the highs and lows together. I’ll have a beer with him after this and decompress a bit, enjoy Spain and the seasons we’ve had.”
Brandon Copeland finished in 33rd place, while Callum McClusky crossed the line in 46th to round out the other Australian results.
Earlier in the day, the Australian team of Lauren Parker (PTVI), Jeremy Peacock (PTS4), Maggie Sandles (PTVI) and Lauren Sprague (Guide), and Jack Howell (PTS5) put in a strong performance, finishing 5th in the inaugural World Triathlon Para Mixed Relay Championships.
In the World Triathlon Under 23/Junior Mixed Relay Championships, the Australian team of Ty Davis, Grace Henry, Jack Woodberry, and Isla Watson placed 19th.