Vanja Cnops and Nele Vermeulen got to work in Singapore last weekend. For the former athletics elite Vanja this can be taken literally, she has studyed there for six years and after her PhD she has stayed there to work. ETZA-athlete Nele came over to visit and together they decided to participate in the Sentosa aquathlon. On Saturday Nele also ran the Marina Barrange half marathon. Both Belgian ladies were successful.
At the sprintdistance aquathlon, 750m swim and 5km run, Vanja finished 5th overall. In her agegroup she took the win. Nele came 7th in that same agegroup. On Sunday both participated in the Marina Barrange half marathon. Nele, transferring from BAIK Endurance Team Zaventem to TVZW, came second in the Women Open. Vanja did not finish.
“I thought I was not going to make it”
“Firstly the half marathon in the Singaporean heat,” Nele tells us. “Vanja and I started together, but after merely six kilometer Vanja quit, fearing an injury to the leg and keeping the second race, only 13 hours later, in mind. So it was just me in the heat and in the dark. The pack was scattered rather quickly and it was everyone for himself. The legs felt fine, but the heat was draining, I longed for every aid station. After 13km the real melt-down began, after 17km I reencountered Vanja, but the miles crept away. I heard other women creeping up on me, if they would overtake me, it’d be impossible to hang on. Luckily I crossed the finish after 1hr41’, second in the women open. Ready for a short night to the next race.
So came Sunday and with it the Sentosa aquathlon. Start was given at 8hr15 and we were the fourth wave to enter the water. A true washing machine, the third wave was quickly overtaken, meaning even more people fighting for the same spot. Halfway through there was an Australian exit to tackle, Vanja managed to keep up the pace and perform a more than decent transition. She took quite an advantage on her competitors, I exited the water about three minutes later, but instantly felt yesterday’s half marathon in the legs. I tried some damage control and finished seventh.
Now it’s time for some rest… and who knows, maybe we’ll do another race on scene,” says Nele.
Original article by Hans Cleemput on 3athlon.be on 12/02/2018
Translation by @T0v3