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Carfrae's Race Ended By Husband's Trip

MIRINDA CARFRAE of Australia celebrates winning the women's race of Ironman Austria in Klagenfurt, Austria. Picture: Nigel Roddis/Getty Images for Ironman

Australian triathlon star Mirinda Carfrae has discovered virtual reality competitions springing up amid the coronavirus-enforced shutdown of professional sports can throw up unfamiliar challenges.

The three-time world Ironman champion ran into home interference when competing against three fellow international stars in the inaugural Ironman VR Pro Challenge women's race shown on Facebook.

Carfrae was doing well on the 90km bike leg against American Jocelyn McCauley, Canada's Angela Naeth and Jeanni Seymour of South Africa.

That was until she suffered a "virtual" mechanical failure when her husband Timothy O'Donnell tripped over the cord of her smart trainer, disconnecting it from the outlet and putting her out of the race.

"He decided to bring my trophies in here as motivation and when he walked around the back he kicked out the plug. What an idiot," said a smiling Carfrae.