U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Gwen Jorgensen Returns to Top of Podium for First Time Since 2016 at Valencia World Cup

VALENCIA, Spain – For the first time in seven years, Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.) returned to her former and familiar glory by winning gold at the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Valencia in Spain on Saturday, Sept. 2. 

The last time Jorgensen won an elite triathlon race was 2,569 days ago at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Following that momentous Olympic win, she stepped away from the sport to focus on her family and pursue an elite running career. Last December Jorgensen announced her return to the sport of triathlon and began elite triathlon racing this spring.  

On Saturday, Valencia hosted the sixth stop on the World Triathlon Cup Circuit, featuring a 1500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike, 10k bike Olympic-distance course. Jorgensen shined on the flat and technical course, crossing the finish line with a time of 1 hour, 55 minutes and 1 second. 

As the sole U.S. elite woman on the starting line, Jorgensen set herself for victory from the start. She exited the swim down by only 7 seconds off the leader, putting her into position to join the leaderboard on the bike. 

A group of 22 women formed for the eight-lap bike course, with Jorgensen remaining in the mix. As the pack entered the second transition, Jorgensen was set up in a perfect scenario to conquer in the run – her strongest discipline.  

She earned the lead early on lap one and never backed down through the 10k course. She clocked the win 16 seconds ahead of Germany’s Nina Eim who claimed the silver (1:55:17). Marlene Gomez-Goggle (GER) earned the bronze with a time of 1:55:24. 

The Valencia gold give Jorgensen her second World Cup podium this season, after claiming the silver medal in Huatulco in June.  

In the men’s race Brent Demarest (Charleston, S.C.) had a career-best World Cup finish, crossing the line in eighth place in a time of 1:42:23. Ka’eo Kruse (Kauai, Hawaii) rounded out the U.S. men, finishing 31st (1:46:02).

2023 World Triathlon Cup Valencia – Complete Results
1500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike, 10-kilometer run 

Elite Women’s Podium  
1. Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.), 1:55:01 
2. Nina Eim (GER), 1:55:17 
3. Marlene Gomez-Göggel (GER), 1:55:24 

U.S. Women’s Finishers 
1. Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.), 1:55:01

Elite Men’s Podium  
1. David Cantero del Campo (ESP), 1:41:10 
2. Lasse Nygaard Priester (GER), 1:41:11 
3. Michele Sarzilla (ITA), 1:41:26 

U.S. Men’s Finishers 
8. Brent Demarest (Charleston, S.C.), 1:42:23 
31. Ka’eo Kruse (Kauai, Hawaii), 1:46:02