Courtesy: USAT

Elite triathlete Sheila Taormina of Livonia, Mich., qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in a big way, winning the women's race International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Triathlon Championship on Sunday in Portugal.

Taormina's U.S. teammate, Laura Reback (North Palm Beach, Fla.), was also trying to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team, but finished third. Australian Olympian Loretta Harrop was second.

The United States has not won an elite world championship since Siri Lindley won in 2001. Taormina has never medaled at a world championship before this, but she had won the ITU World Cup in Madeira in 2003.

"I can't believe I'd have to beat a world champion to be on the Olympic team," Reback said after the race.

Michigan's pride was doubled in the men's race as former University of Michigan swimmer Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) finished as the second American, behind Olympic qualifier Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.), to make the U.S. Olympic team. Kemper finished 10th overall and Potts was 11th.

Bevan Docherty of New Zealand won the men's race in a sprint finish in 1:41:05. Spain's Ivan Rana was second in 1:41:06 and Kazakhstan's Dimitry Gaag was third in 1:41:18.

The women's race did not come down to a sprint, but Taormina didn't know she was going to win until the final kilometers.

"I had no idea I was going to win," Taormina said. "Hats off to Laura (Reback), when we came off the bike together, I really thought she'd take it.

"But I knew that I was really strong. I wasn't going to hand it to her."

Taormina led the race coming out of the swim in 17:54, then kept a 30-second lead for the first six laps of the bike before letting the pack catch up with her. Taormina, Harrop and Reback ran together for two laps before Taormina and Harrop pulled away. Taormina shadowed Harrop for the second two laps before pulling away.

Taormina finished the 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run in 1 hour, 52 minutes, 17 seconds. Harrop was second in 1:52:29. Reback finished in 1:53:00.

Barb Lindquist (Victor, Idaho), who already qualified for the U.S. Olympic team at the Race to Athens - Honolulu in April, had a strong swim and bike, but fell behind on the run and finished seventh.

"I didn't have my best day. I wasn't feeling well," Lindquist said. "I'm very happy for Sheila."

Julie Swail (Irvine, Calif.) placed 23rd in the women's race.

In the men's race, Potts was second out of the swim and joined a large pack on the bike. On the run, his goal was to keep Kemper in sight.

"Part of me wanted to race more defensively because I had more chips in my corner," said Potts, who became a strong contender to make the team when he finished as the second American at the Race to Athens - Honolulu.

"But I also didn't want to give up what had gotten me here, which was aggressive, confident racing."

Kemper was disappointed in his 10th-place finish after medaling in his last three international races.

"My legs just never felt comfortable on the run," he said. "I did the best I could but they never felt good, not for one step."

Among the other U.S. men, Doug Friman (Tucson, Ariz.), ranked No. 2 in the United States, greatly improved his chances of making the U.S. Olympic team by finishing as the third American, 21st overall. Brian Fleischmann (Jacksonville, Fla.), the team alternate who replaced the injured Joe Umphenour (Bellevue, Wash.), place 25th.

The final qualifier for the U.S. Olympic triathlon team will be determined directly after the U.S. Olympic Team Trials on April 13 in Bellingham, Wash. A formula will go into effect that takes into account the athletes' finish in all three qualifying races and their world ranking.

Complete results and times are available at http://www.triathlon.org.

ITU Triathlon World Championships
May 9, 2004; Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
1.5k swim; 40k bike; 10k run

Women
1. Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) 1:52:17; 2. Loretta Harrop (Australia) 1:52:29; 3. Laura Reback (North Palm Beach, Fla.) 1:53:00; 4. Joelle Franzmann (Germany) 1:53:21; 5. Vanessa Fernandes (Portugal) 1:53:32; 6. Machiko Nakanishi (Japan) 1:53:34; 7. Barb Lindquist (Victor, Idaho) 1:53:42; 8. Julie Dibens (Great Britain) 1:54:06; 9. Ana Burgos (Spain) 1:54:25; 10. Akiko Sekine (Japan) 1:54:34

Other U.S. Finishers
23. Julie Swail (Irvine, Calif.); 47. Kelly Cook (Marietta, Ga.)

Men
1. Bevan Docherty (New Zealand) 1:41:04; 2. Ivan Rana (Spain) 1:41:05; 3. Dimitry Gaag (Kazakhstan) 1:41:18; 4. Tim Don (Great Britain) 1:41:37.1; 5. Igor Sysoev (Russia) 1:41:37.2; 6. Hamish Carter (New Zealand) 1:41:41.1; 7. Shane Reed (New Zealand) 1:41:41.3; 8. Javier Gomez (Spain) 1:41:44; 9. Hirokatsu Tayama (Japan) 1:41:49; 10. Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.) 1:42:05; 11. Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) 1:42:17

Other U.S. Finishers
21. Doug Friman (Tucson, Ariz.); 25. Brian Fleischmann (Jacksonville, Fla.); 46. Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, Calif.); 63. Michael Smedley (Buchanan, Mich.)