Mario Mola insists Javier Gomez's record of five World Triathlon Series titles is in sights

Matt Jones - Editor 19:23 28/02/2018
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  • Mario Mola insists he has no problem staying motivated – and even if he did he has a nation reminding him of iconic fellow Spanish triathlete Javier Gomez’s success.

    The younger Spaniard though is undoubtedly the new poster boy of Spanish endurance sport, having retained his ITU World Triathlon Series crown last season, after hoisting his first in 2016.

    He will be desperate to make it a hat-trick in 2018 – thus matching the feat of his much-celebrated compatriot Gomez, who won three in a row from 2013-15.

    The two have certainly enjoyed a duopoly on the WTS in recent years, although Mola, 28, will require much more of the famed stamina he employs for his success if he is to catch Gomez in terms of total world series titles.

    Gomez, 34, has won it five times (also in 2008 and 2010), to sit one ahead of Britain’s Simon Lessing, with Australian Peter Robertson, on three, now the mark for Mola.

    Having made his WTS bow in 2012, Mola finished third overall in 2013 before taking consecutive second spots behind Gomez in 2014 and 2015. Gomez, the Spanish master, also won silver behind Alistair Brownlee and ahead of his brother Jonathan at the 2012 Olympics, while apprentice Mola was 19th in London and eighth in Rio.

    28 02 2018 Triathlon Men

    Ahead of the season opener in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Mola is excited to begin the defence of his title.

    “In order to keep winning and doing things well you’ve got to think or act as if you haven’t won anything before. That’s my mentality now,” said the Majorcan.

    “Obviously I’m very happy with everything I achieved, but I always say in our country, people are always thinking of Javi who won five world series.

    “So if by winning two I think I’ve done it all then I better stay home. People like Javi are big role models, he gives me motivation to keep doing things, the same things that had me ending the season in 2016 and 2017 how I did.”

    The season started disappointingly for Mola 12 months ago as he slumped to eighth place in Abu Dhabi. But he picked himself up to win the next two races on the Gold Coast and in Yokohama, winning again in Hamburg and Edmonton and staving off the challenge of Gomez to win his second title by more than 400 points.

    Staying motivated after such a demoralising opening to his 2016 title defence was easy for Mola, who didn’t panic despite his under par performance.

    “I knew that sometimes sport, what you think is a failure, it’s not what you worked for, but at the end of the day all the guys starting here have done a lot of work so they all deserve a good race and result,” added Mola.

    “Sometimes you have got to be happy putting in the 100 per cent even if the result is not the one you wanted or expected. Probably after that race I know I was swimming in front but then the others worked well together and got a distance that was impossible to come back from.

    “After that I continued working as I did before and results went better. It’s only the beginning with eight months ahead of you, so you can’t be disappointed if the first race doesn’t go your way. You can’t let that beat or affect you.

    “If the race goes well you say ‘well it’s only the beginning’ and you keep working well. You are the same, you’ve just got to keep working and wishing later on.”

    Mario Mola is chasing Javier Gomez' record of five WTS titles.

    Mario Mola is chasing Javier Gomez’ record of five WTS titles.

    And despite disappointment perhaps being the overriding memory of the UAE capital a year ago, Mola has fonder memories of Abu Dhabi, having won the first two races here, in 2015 and 2016.

    “Every city and every race has its peculiarities but when you have a good race where you have good memories it’s always a good motivation to be back and do as good as before,” added Mola, who has the added confidence of coming into the season as the world’s best male triathlete for the second year in a row.

    “I’m excited to be here, the conditions are a bit hotter so I think that suits me well, so we’ll see how I go.

    “It was a great season after 2016 when I won the title. It was different. It was the best year, a great experience and huge motivation.”

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