LONDON - Manuel Huerta battled through rainy conditions to lead the United States' contingent with a 25th-place finish Sunday at the International Triathlon Union World
Huerta (Miami, Fla.) logged a time of 1 hour, 52 minutes, 30 seconds on the proposed 2012 Olympic Course, which features a 1,500-meter swim, 42.9-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run. Matt Chrabot (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was 42nd in 1:53:20.
Alistair Brownlee of Great Britain earned gold in 1:50:09, followed by Russia's Alexander Bryukhanov and Great Britain's Jonathan Brownlee. Visit triathlon.org for a complete recap and video highlights.
Jarrod Shoemaker (Maynard, Mass.) was forced to abandon the race following a bike crash on the fifth of seven bike laps. Hunter Kemper (Colorado Springs, Colo.) withdrew on the run due to a stomach illness.
Two men's spots on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team could have been claimed with top-nine finishes by the Americans. With no spots secured today in London, the next chance to qualify will come at a to-be-determined WCS race in the spring of 2012.
All four U.S. men exited the swim within 40 seconds of leader Javier Gomez of Spain. A group of four broke away in the first half of the bike with the American quartet riding in a chase pack of nearly 60 athletes. Chrabot and Kemper were aggressive on the bike, riding near the front of the large group.
"I'm disappointed that I didn't make the automatic qualification for the Olympics ... I'm looking forward to getting faster, getting stronger and staying healthy for the next [qualifier]," said Huerta.
The seven-race WCS is a key proving ground for the United States' top triathletes aiming for a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. In addition to racing for WCS points, athletes also will be looking to earn points toward securing a spot for their country at the 2012 Olympic Triathlon in London. Visit wcs.triathlon.org for more on the series.
Photo Credit: Paul Phillips/Competitve Image
Follow on twitter @everymantri or view latest videos on YouTube.
