OLYMPIC DREAMS FUEL PROS.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer Nearly three years have passed since the first Olympic triathlon was held in front of an estimated 100,000 fans outside the famed Sydney Opera House Sydney Opera House Performing-arts centre on the harbour in Sydney, Australia. Its dynamic, imaginative design by Danish architect Jørn Utzon (b. 1918) won a competition in 1957 and brought Utzon international fame. . As Australian professional Craig Walton Craig Walton (born October 10, 1975 in Ulverstone, Tasmania) is an athlete from Australia, who competes in triathlon. Walton competed at the first Olympic triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He took twenty-seventh place with a total time of 1:50:57.66. said Friday, the memory feels like just yesterday. ``You couldn't hear yourself breathe sometimes,'' said Walton, the defending champion defending champion n (SPORT) → defensor/a m/f del tÃtulo defending champion n (Sport) → champion(ne) en titre in Sunday's fourth-annual City of Los Angeles
This weekend, the L.A. Triathlon will mark Walton's final summer event before returning home to begin preparations for the second Olympic triathlon. The Athens Games are less than a year away, with the men's gold medal gold medal traditional first prize. [Western Cult: Misc.] See : Prize to be awarded Aug. 26. But Walton is far from alone in his plans. Several other top male pros entered Sunday also will start Olympic training later this month. Fellow Australian Craig Alexander Craig John Alexander (born 5 January 1987) in Cape Town. He played in the 2004 and 2006 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka , Bangladesh. Major teams: South Africa Under-19s, Western Province Also known as: Jacko Batting style: even has booked a flight home to Sydney (through Tokyo) for 2:30 p.m. after the 9 a.m. race. Make no mistake, the countdown has begun. ``A lot of the guys who went (to the Olympics) said it was a once-in-a- lifetime experience,'' Alexander said. ``To race in front of a crowd like that is unbelievable. It's been a dream of mine to go to the Olympics, and hopefully, I'll fulfill it.'' To race organizer Jack Caress, the L.A. Triathlon's timing at the end of the summer season - and several months ahead of various nations' Olympic qualifying events - could not be better. ``For us to have these guys, and for it to be their last race, is great,'' Caress said. ``It's like a musician and a concert: The last show is always going to be the best one.'' Walton demolished the field here in winning a year ago, and Caress said he is hoping for a closer race this time around. It might not happen. Walton won the Chicago Triathlon two weeks ago by nearly two minutes despite injuring his foot this summer while swimming. Great Britain's Simon Lessing Simon Lessing (born February 12, 1971) is a triathlete from the United Kingdom, born in South Africa he now lives in Boulder, Colorado, United States but competes for the UK. His major sponsors include American Interbanc (Mortgage Bankers), Asics (apparel) and Javelin (bike). and Alexander took second and third, respectively, in Chicago. In contrast, the women's field is wide open after two-time defending champion Barb Lindquist opted not to return. Lindquist made history in the sport Aug. 2 by winning a handicap race A Handicap race is a horse race where horses carry different weights. A better horse will carry a heavier weight in order to make the race more fair. The purpose of this is to make the races more interesting to bet on, as although one is less likely to win, one will win more if against men in the Life Time Fitness Triathlon The Life Time Fitness Triathlon is a triathlon race held annually in Minneapolis MN. An Olympic Distance length course winds its way through the city, drafting is not permitted. in Minneapolis. First prize in the race was $250,000 - richest-ever in the sport - and Lindquist wrote in an e-mail that she could afford to rest rather than defend her L.A. title. First prize Sunday is $8,000, though some athletes said they hoped the Twin Cities race would help boost purses at all events. ``It's nice that (triathlon is) getting a bit of mainstream media,'' Alexander said. ``That kind of money puts us on par with a lot of other sports.'' To build interest in town, Caress has arranged for this year's race to be televised tape-delayed Sept. 21 on Channel 9, with highlights to be aired on Outdoor Life Network during the month. The race starts with an ocean swim at Venice Beach. It includes a bike ride along Hollywood and Sunset boulevards and a run past Dodger Stadium • • [ before finishing at El Pueblo downtown. The triathlon is the second-largest in the country, with more than 2,500 participants. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CITY OF LOS ANGELES TRIATHLON When: Sunday What: 1.5-kilometer ocean swim, 40K bicycle ride, 10K run Where: Begins at Venice Beach, ends at El Pueblo downtown Schedule: Olympic distance race begins at 6:30 a.m.; sprint distance at 7:45 a.m.; professionals at 9 a.m. Number of competitors: About 2,500 CAPTION(S): box Box: CITY OF LOS ANGELES TRIATHLON (see text) |
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