Despite being over a minute behind the leaders as they exited the second transition after the cycling, the 26-year-old from Milwaukee overtook Australia's Emma Moffat - who took bronze despite leading for the majority of the rac e- with around a mile to go to secure her third World Triathlon Series podium finish and her first USA Triathlon Elite National Championships title.

"I never really thought about it," said Jorgensen of the gap that she had to close on the leaders.

"I just focused on my race and just did what I had to do.

"But it's extra special because it's our national championships and it's on home soil and the girls made me work for it.

"It's a huge honour and I think it's only going to increase our athletes in the US.

"It's going to motivate and push other US athletes as well.

"It's really exciting because it was on US soil."

Great Britain's Non Stanford took silver, overtaking Moffat in a narrow sprint finish at the death.

Germany's Anne Haug still leads the World Triathlon Series rankings after adding a fourth place to the title she won in Auckland earlier this month

Germany's Anne Haug, who won the season-opener in Auckland earlier this month, could only manage a fourth place finish this time, finishing three seconds behind Stanford and Moffat.

Haug opens up a sizeable lead at the top of the World Triathlon Series rankings however, currently sitting pretty on 1,433 points, ahead of Australia's Felicity Abram on 954 points and Japan's Juri Ide, who is currently third on 861 points.

The 800 points earned by Jorgensen for winning the race are her first points of the season, but are enough to take her into sixth place after two races.

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