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Olympics-Triathlon-France's Beaugrand throws up, then shows up to take gold

France's Cassandre Beaugrand offered some insight into the suffocating pressure that features being a home favourite at the Olympics when, racked by nerves, she tossed up at the start of the females's triathlon on Wednesday.

Less than two hours later, however, she profited in magnificent design, surfing the wave of popular support rolling off the streets of Paris to surge clear on the run and win the nation's first medal in the sport.

Beaugrand had remained in a breakaway pack of four on the 10km run leg, together with compatriot Emma Lombardi, British world champion Beth Potter and Switzerland's Julie Derron.

She looked comfy and relaxed as she stepped through the finish zone on the very first three laps and after that made her move on the final lap to come home well clear.

Beaugrand got the finish tape, kissed it and collapsed to the ground. Derron chased her home for silver with Potter taking bronze, leaving Lombardi in the worst position of all.

I can't find the words, it's insane what's taking place to me. Today, I would never ever have actually thought it, Beaugrand said.

Today, I remained in total panic. I threw up before the start ... It was nerves, it's never ever happened to me before, and in front of the other professional athletes. Everyone understood I was worried. It's not what you wish to do.

I didn't want to do the same as Tokyo where I was so anxious and where I lost all my faculties.

Beaugrand stopped working to complete in the last Olympics, suffering a leak on the bike leg, and had the added stress on Wednesday of finding out just at 4am that the race would proceed after the guys's occasion was postponed on Tuesday due to poor water quality.

I told myself 'Cass, you can't go through the exact same thing as Tokyo once again, concentrate, you've been doing triathlon your entire life, it's just another race,' she stated.

Mentality has actually been my weak point many times and today it was my strength, it's a revenge on the past. After Tokyo, it was not a simple path however I never ever stopped thinking.

To do it in front of our crowd was something that needed to be done, and I still can't believe it. It was the imagine my life and I satisfied it.

(source: Reuters)