The Olympic-distance triathlon began with a 1500m swim in the Lerez river, where Tertsch did not have her best performance. She was mid-pack among the 58 starters, leaving her plenty of work to do on the bike. Over the 40km course consisting of eight flat, yet technical laps, Tertsch made up some ground. But it was the 10km run through the center of Pontevedra that determined the contenders of the podium.
From the moment she exited the transition, Tertsch was on the move, passing competitors as if they were standing still. She moved into first place halfway through the run, but with less than 1km to go, Tertsch was passed. She was unable to hold onto the win, but settled happily for second place.
“I tried to stay present and focused and it worked out really well today,” said Tertsch. “On the run, in the last five kilometers, that is where the race is decided always and that was the case today. You always have to stay patient. So I did, tried my best, and it did pay off.”