Mexico's Anahi Alvarez Corral won her home World Triathlon Cup event in Huatulco ©World Triathlon

Mexico's Anahi Alvarez Corral provided a home victory in the elite women's race at the World Triathlon Cup in Huatulco, with 2016 Olympic champion Gwen Jorgensen of the United States returning to the podium on the circuit for the first time in seven years.

Race conditions were hot and humid, with the women's race held in the sprint format consisting of a 750 metres swim, 20 kilometres bike and 5km run.

China's Yifan Yang was first out of the water from a fast swim, but a lead group of around 40 athletes emerged on the bike leg.

In the run, specialist Alvarez Corral emerged strongest and dominated the race with her time of 16min 47sec to finish in 1 hour 00min 31sec.

"It was a special race for me, to be able to do it at home with all the spectators," she said after her first World Cup win.

"This was an important event for me, last year I didn’t do so well, so I wanted to make up for it so I’m thrilled with the result."

Jorgensen retired from triathlon in 2017 to aim for the marathon at Tokyo 2020, but the 37-year-old has returned to the sport wanting a crack at Paris 2024.

She also performed strongly on the run in 17;14 to finish second in 1:01:04, even though she later revealed she had been ill in the week building up to the World Cup.

Mercedes Romero Orozco held off Australia's Charlotte McShane by one second in 1:01:11 to take bronze and double the host nation's podium presence.

In the elite men's race also held under the sprint format, Spain's European champion David Castro Fajardo earned the gold medal.

Having been part of the lead bike group, Castro required a slight sprint to catch up with his fellow front-runners out of transition, and a front three consisting of the Spaniard, Canada's Tyler Mislawchuk and Mexico's Aram Michell Peñaflor Moysen emerged by the final running lap.

Castro tried to take the race to his rivals on the final lap, and his crucial attack came with 50m remaining to finish the run in 15:01 and overall in 54:13.

Mislawchuk, a two-time winner at the World Cup in Huatulco, had to settle for second in 54:14, with Peñaflor Moysen a further three seconds back.

Spain's David Castro Fajardo won the men's elite race in Huatulco ©World Triathlon
Spain's David Castro Fajardo won the men's elite race in Huatulco ©World Triathlon

The Americas Triathlon Mixed Relay Championships were also held in Huatulco, with the US team of Darr Smith, Katie Zaferes, Brent Demarest and Jorgensen earning gold in 1:23:00.

Mexico were 13 seconds adrift in second, with Canada placing third in 1:24:31.

The race consisted of four legs of a 300m swim, 7km bike and 1500m run.

Huatulco marked the second World Triathlon Cup event of the year after New Plymouth in New Zealand, and Tiszaújváros in Hungary is due to host the next stop on July 8 and 9.