There was a home victory in the men's duathlon race at the ITU Multisport World Championships ©ITU

Denmark's Andreas Schilling won the men's duathlon race today on the opening day of the International Triathlon Union Multisport World Championships in his home country.

Athletes representing 48 countries are due to participate in the five disciplines of duathlon, cross triathlon, aquathlon, aquabike and the showcase long distance triathlon in and around Odense.

The duathlon consisted of a 10 kilometres run followed by a 36km bike ride and then a 4.9km run as the event begun. 

Schilling produced a superb finish to win by just one second in 1 hour 35min 56sec in the men's race.

France's Yohan le Berre was second and Great Britain's Mark Buckingham third, 50 seconds behind the winner.

Austria's Sandrina Illes won the corresponding women's race by almost as tight a margin.

She crossed in 1:49:29 to prevail by nine seconds over Japan's Ai Ueda.

Austria's Sandrina Illes won the women's duathlon at the ITU Multisport World Championships ©ITU
Austria's Sandrina Illes won the women's duathlon at the ITU Multisport World Championships ©ITU

Georigina Schwiening took another British bronze medal in 1:49:47.

Matthew Willis of Great Britain won the junior men's race in a time of 56min 30sec.

He finished 30 seconds clear of Denmark's Thor Bendix Madsey as Joey van Verlaat of The Netherlands was another 11 seconds back in third.

Costanza Arpinelli of Italy took the junior women's event.

She finished in 1:03:24 to finish two seconds ahead of The Netherlands' Shirin van Anrooij.

Leana Bissig of Switzerland was third in 1:04.03.

Para-duathlon races are due to be held tomorrow.