Frodeno break seals win in Japan

Reigning Olympic champion Jan Frodeno of Germany claimed his first major win outside of the Games on Sunday at the Yokohama leg of the World Triathlon Championship Series. Joshua Amberger led the the swimming before fellow Australian Courtney Atkinson pedalled ahead in the 25-kilometre bike section. Atkinson was soon joined the German duo of Frodeno and Maik Petzold as the the top three opened a 41 seconds gap and Spain's Javier Gomez and Kris Gemmel of New Zealand progressed from the chasing group. Frodeno showed strength to pull away from Petzold and Atkinson early in the run. The chase group of Gomez, New Zelaand's Kris Gemmell and young Laurent Vidal of France caught up with Petzold in the first lap and then with Atkinson before the four kilometre mark. With three kilometres to go, Gomez, cranked up the speed, dropping Vidal but not Gemmell who outsprinted defending world champion Gomez to claim second place with the Spaniard finishing third, Frodeno crossed the line in one hour 44 minutes and 31 seconds to claim his first world series win. The German is ninth in the overall standing led by Britain's Alistair Brownlee. Gemmell's second place moves him into third in the rankings. Gomez's third place keeps him in second and within 351 points of series leader Brownlee ahead of the Grand Final in Australia's Gold Coast, Australia in three weeks time from September 9 to 13.