Triathlete Sweetland all but locks up ticket to Summer Olympics in Rio
Kirsten Sweetland was racing in Mexico on Sunday but might have run all the way to Brazil. The Victoria triathlete took a huge stride toward fulfilling a lifetime ambition by almost clinching qualification to the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics after injuries and illness denied her Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
The 27-year-old Islander’s 12th-place finish in the World Cup race in Huatulco pretty much sealed the deal for Rio. The 1.5K swim, 40K bike race and 10K run were contested under hot, sapping conditions. Sweetland was across in two hours, 16 minutes, 41 seconds. Joanna Brown of Carp, Ont., was 13th in 2:17:15 and Paula Findlay of Edmonton 18th in 2:20:17, behind winner Jolanda Annen of Switzerland (2:14:06).
The two-year Olympic qualifi- cation period ends next Sunday with Sweetland the top Canadian and moving up three spots to be ranked 50th in that process. The top-55 women will advance to the Rio Olympics. That is based on a limit of three per country. The Americans have six women, Germany five and Britain and Australia four each in the top 55, meaning Sweetland’s rank in actuality goes up to 43rd.
“So many people have worked so hard to get me here and I was happy to be able to deliver something so we can all feel that sense of accomplishment,” said Sweetland, from Mexico.
“The real accomplishment would be getting named to the [Olympic] team, which we find out in about a week’s time.”
Sweetland’s two-year qualification period has been front-loaded, with many of her points accumulated in some big race results in 2014, before illness caused by a serious bacteria infection laid her low for much of the past year.
“I wasn’t sure what I was going to get [Sunday in Mexico] because of how inconsistent my year has been,” said Sweetland, a graduate of Stelly’s Secondary and the 2006 world junior champion.
“It’s different than an injury, where you can still stay fit from other sports. I had to take five months completely off exercise, so I wouldn’t expect my fitness to be on par. I had a mixed March and a good April, so I went into the race with at least a little work behind me. Finishing the race in a solid position in the heat was a pretty proud moment for me, honestly. It took so much to get here. I know it’s still a long way from where I can be, but as a starting point, I was thrilled.”
Sarah-Anne Brault of Quebec City is 57h in the overall and uncorrected Olympic qualification standings, Findlay 64th, Amelie Kretz of Blainville, Que., 75th, Dominika Jamnicky of Guelph, Ont., 95th, Brown 118th and Alexandra Coates of Calgary 121st.
The final decision on the makeup of the Olympic team, however, is up to the discretion of Victoriabased Triathon Canada.
Andrew Yorke from Caledon, Ont., solidified his Rio spot on the men’s side with a seventh-place finish at Huatulco in 1:59:16, with Kyle Jones of Oakville, Ont., 15th in 1:59:59 and Xavier Grenier-Talavera from Vaudreil, Que., 26th in 2:02:27. Winner Etienne Diemunsch of France was across in 1:58:23.
The results left Yorke 45th overall in the Olympic qualification standings and Jones 54th. There will be 55 men in the Olympic race at Rio.
The last opportunity to gain Olympic qualification points is in the final World Series race Sunday in Yokohama, Japan. Sweetland heads across the Pacific knowing her Olympian dream is within her grasp.
“Off to Japan now for the final chance,” she said.