Races at the event were changed to the duathlon format of a run, a bike phase and a second run, due to poor water quality in the city.

Castro Fajardo, whose last win came at the Oceania Triathlon Cup in Taupo in February, produced a sprint finish in the final run to take victory in 1hour 48min 13sec.

Britain’s Jonathan Brownlee, a three-times Olympic medallist, who took silver in 1:48.17, joined the leading group in the first run phase, only to be narrowly beaten by a fast-finishing Castro Fajardo.

The podium was completed by Switzerland’s Adrien Briffod, who was part of a break with Brownlee following the final transition phase, but lost contact during the latter part of the run, as he came home in 1:48.27.

The women’s crown went to Luxembourg’s Jeanne Lehair, who won her first race since a Europe Triathlon Cup event in May 2021.

Lehair took charge of the race at the start of the second run, with Germany’s Lisa Tertsch the only one who could keep up with her pace.

Lehair was only able to shake off her rival late in the day, claiming victory through a late sprint as she crossed the line in 1:59.52, seven seconds in front of Tertsch, who was second in 1:59.59.

The podium was completed by Cathia Schar of Switzerland, who did a lot of work as part of the leading group on the bike, before being dropped by the front two on the second run, as she finished third in 2:00.10.

Competition took place across various Para categories during the Championships, also in the duathlon format.

In the men’s PTWC category, victory went to Jetze Plat of the Netherlands in 55min 29sec, while fellow Dutchman Maurits Morsink won the PTS2 event in 1:03.34.  

There was a home winner in the PTS3 category with Daniel Molina winning in 1:07.49, while France’s Alexis Hanquinquant was victorious in the PTS4 in 56:54.

Germany’s Martin Schulz won the PTS5 category in 54:40, while France’s Antoine Perel was victorious in 54:02.

In the women’s Para triathlon events, there was a home winner in the PTWC category as Eva Maria Moral Pedrero took the title in 1:12.58.

In the PTS2, victory went to France’s Cecile Saboureau in 1:23.07, with compatriot Elise Marc victorious in the PTS3 in 1:10.47.

There was more Spanish success in the PTS4 courtesy of Marta Frances Gomez in 1:15.16, while former Paralympic swimming champion Claire Cashmore of Britain, who switched to Paratriathlon after Rio 2016, won the PTS5 event in 1:05.09.

Finally in the PTVI category, victory went to home competitor Susana Rodriguez of Spain in 1:02.49.