TRIATHLON

Olympic triathlon qualification on the line at Pan American Games

By International Triathlon Union (ITU)

A feat that occurs every four years, the Pan American Games returns this weekend in Toronto, Canada. With start lists packed with talent on both the men’s and women’s side, the competition is expected to be as fierce as ever since the winner of each race will give their home country an automatic qualifying spot for the Rio Olympic Games next summer.

Host country Canada turns out an impressive team led by Olympians Paula Findlay and Kyle Jones, while the US is headed by Pan American Champion Sarah Haskins and four-time Olympian Hunter Kemper. Mexico will be strong with Crisanto Grajales, who is ranked No. 9 in the world, while defending Pan American Games champion Reinaldo Colucci will attempt to clench a spot for his Brazilian federation for the Olympics in his home country, along with female counterpart Pamela Oliveira.

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SCHEDULE:
Elite Women
Saturday 11 July - 8:30 UTC/GMT -5 Click here for the time in your area
Elite Men
Sunday 12 July - 8:30 UTC/GMT -5 Click here for the time in your area

WEBSITES:
triathlon.org/events

START LISTS:
Click here for the women's start list
Click here for the men's start list


LIVE COVERAGE:
Follow all the events live with timing and text updates on twitter at @triathlonlive.

COURSE PROFILE:
Swim - (1.5km) Athletes will swim in Lake Ontario next to Ontario Place.
Bike - (40km) Athletes will cycle six laps along the Lake towards Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Run - (10km) The four-lap run covers part of the cycling course just in front of Ontario Place.

STORY LINES:
Olympic Qualification
Punching a ticket to Rio will be on the minds of many athletes this weekend. By winning gold, athletes will automatically earn their National Federation a spot at the 2016 Olympics by fulfilling the continent allocation for Pan American countries.

The Fab Five
With the Olympic qualifying spot on the line, the title may not mean more to anyone more than Hunter Kemper (USA). With the most experience on the start list, Kemper is looking become the first triathlete to race in every Olympics since the sport was introduced to the Games in 2000. While a win from Kemper would only guarantee a spot for the US, and not Kemper himself, the victory would put the veteran in the running to return to his fifth Olympic Games

Defending Pan American Champions return
Both Sarah Haskins and Reinaldo Colucci return four years after scoring gold in the 2011 Pan American Games to defend their titles. Strong on the swim and bike, Haskins also scored silver in 2007. Likewise, Colucci is one of Brazil's strongest men and has been known to pedal away for top positions. Hunter Kemper also scored gold back in 2003, as well as silver in 1999. While she hasn't scored a win at the Pan American Games yet, Barbara Riveros picked up silver to Haskins in 2011.

Family Tradition
Leading the Pan Am races this weekend is the solid representation of families on the start lists for both the men and women. Chile’s Gaspar Riveros is the younger brother of Olympic standout Barbara Riveros, who are both attempting to be a brother-sister team in Rio. Brothers Carlos Alfredo Perez Bolsegui and Carlos Enrique Perez Bolsegui team up for Venezuela on the men’s side, while in the women’s race two sets of sisters mark the lineup. Melissa Rios and Militza Rios are twins representing Puerto Rico and Barbara Schoenfeld and Daniela Schoenfeld are set to race together for Guatemala. In total, Toronto will see the likes of four families compete.



PAST PAN AMERICAN GAMES WINNERS

Men                                                    Women
2011 Guadalajara Pan American Games
Reinaldo Colucci (BRA)                    Sarah Haskins (USA)
2007 Rio de Janeiro Pan Ameircan Games
Andy Potts (USA)                             Julie Ertel (USA)
2003 Santo Domingo Pan American Games
Hunter Kemper (USA)                  Jill Savege (CAN)
1999 Winnipeg Pan American Games
Gilberto Gonzalez (VEN)              Shannon Donnelly (CAN)
1995 Mar del Plata Pan American Games
Leandro Macedo (BRA)                     Karen Smyers (USA)