Warren HendersonBlack Press

For pretty much every stroke, pedal and step of the way on Sunday, Andrew RussellB次元官网网址檚 thoughts were with one very special person.

The 30-year-old Victoria resident dedicated his final appearance at the Pushor Mitchell Apple Triathlon to his terminally ill mom, Ann Russell. And he couldnB次元官网网址檛 have asked for a better result on a scorching Kelowna afternoon as Russell captured the elite Olympic distance race in one hour 56 minutes 21 seconds.

Russell moved to Victoria from Revelstoke five years ago and won his first race on the International Triathlon Union circuit in Magog, Que., last month. In that race, he out-duelled SaanichB次元官网网址檚 Matt Sharpe for first place with Sharpe finishing second. This time it was another Victoria athlete, Andrew McCartney, who

finished the 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, and 10 km run in second place, nine seconds back of Russell. Joe Maloy of the U.S.A. was third and Sharpe was fourth.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 my seventh year in the elite and to win here as close to home as possible, itB次元官网网址檚 a really special moment,B次元官网网址� said an emotional Russell after the race.

B次元官网网址淚 really did it for my mom; sheB次元官网网址檚 quite sick. And this is the end of my short-course career, so thereB次元官网网址檚 no better way to finish it off.B次元官网网址�

For the first time in five years, the Apple Triathlon didnB次元官网网址檛 serve as the Canadian championships, and was therefore without some the biggest names in Canadian triathlon. Simon Whitfield, Kirk Jones and Paula Findlay didnB次元官网网址檛 compete in Kelowna.

Still, it didnB次元官网网址檛 take any of the sheen off of the victory UVic Vikes track and field athlete Ellen PennockB次元官网网址檚 win in the womenB次元官网网址檚 elite race on Sunday.

The 19-year-old won the Apple title convincingly in her first race at the elite level, after attending the event as a junior since she was 14.