MATTHEW SEKERES
February 5, 2008
VANCOUVER -- Canadian triathlete Simon Whitfield admitted that Summer Olympians feel some "positive envy" toward all the attention heaped on their winter counterparts these days.
But that is set to change this year when, for one weekend at least, Vancouver's eyes will turn to a Summer Games sport.
Yesterday, Triathlon Canada announced that Vancouver's event on the International Triathlon Union will serve as the sport's 20th world championships and as a last-chance qualifier for Canadian men and women wanting to compete at the 2008 Games in Beijing.
The event, sure to attract world-class fields, takes place June 5 through 8. It is Vancouver's second race on the ITU circuit. Whitfield won the men's event last year.
"It's exciting to see a World Cup not only in our country, but with such a backdrop," said Whitfield, the gold medalist at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. "It's certainly a huge advantage [for Canadian triathletes] with the familiarity with the city of Vancouver and the weather."
More at the Globe and Mail
No comments:
Post a Comment