Courtesy: USAT

Diminished but unbowed, Team USA won 16 medals at the International Triathlon Union World Duathlon Championships on Sunday in Rimini, Italy.

Rachel Sears (Oakland, Calif.) led the way by winning the women's 25-29 age group. Sears finished the 10K run, 40K bike and 5K run in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 46 seconds. Heather Hedrick (Indianapolis) was second behind Sears in 2:08:26.

Betty Skipp (Boulder, Colo.) also won gold in the women's 70- plus age group (3:23:57) and Jack McClain (Granville, Ohio) won the men's 80-84 age group (3:19:07), where he was the only competitor.

At least 25 members of the team could not get to Italy after U.S. airports were closed as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. U.S. competitors in Italy wore black armbands in memory of fallen Americans.

Team USA members won six silver medals. Besides Hedrick, Jakob Barnett of Virginia took second in the men's 16-19 age group (2:06:46). Dan Rindfleisch won silver in men's 45-49 (2:00:15). Emily Bruno (Nashville, Tenn.) took silver in the women's 50-54 age group (2:29:32). Marge Stahl (Annandale, Va.) was second in women's 70-plus (3:57:03) and Walt Palmer (Indianapolis) was second in men's 75-79 (3:13:59).

Those who won bronze medals were Jennifer McConeghy (North Carolina; women's 20-24); Erik Scott (State College, Pa.; men's 25-29); Rebecca Strode (Springfield, Va.; women's 45-49); Mike McCarty (New Bedford, Mass.; men's 55-59); Sharon Blount (Lexington, Ky.; women's 60- 64); Pat Fossum (Montgomery, Ala.; women's 65-69) and Roger Brockenbrough (Pittsburgh, Pa.; men's 65-69).

Tyler Johnson (Chester, Conn.) was the top U.S. elite finisher in 36th (1:52:27). U.S. national champion Greg Watson (Newark, Del.) was 38th (1:52:58). Several of the U.S. elite competitors could not get to Italy. Duathlon dominator Benny Vansteelant of Belgium won the men's elite race in 1:47:11. Erika Csomor of Hungary won the women's elite race in 2:00:58.