Olympian Stands Fourth in Current WCS Series Rankings
USA Triathlon
June 23, 2010 (Colorado Springs, CO) – United States Olympian Sarah Haskins was one of 20 triathletes selected Tuesday as Gold Group members for the second half of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series by the International Triathlon Union.
Haskins (Colorado Springs, Colo.) has placed in the top 10 of all three ITU World Championship Series events and currently ranks fourth in the 2010 series rankings. She was sixth in the final 2009 rankings. Additionally, Haskins tops ITU’s best swimmer rankings for 2010.
ITU established the Gold Group in 2009 as a means of raising the profile of its outstanding athletes and their national federations, and to highlight the stars within the sport. The Gold Group consists of high-performing athletes who will act as the premier athlete ambassadors of ITU, and will encourage the general public and youth to participate in the sport. Members of the Gold Group enjoy the exclusive privilege of securing extra quota spots for their respective countries at all Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series events.
Haskins was also part of the initial Gold Group for the first three events of the 2010 season, which was formed by taking the three 2008 Olympic Triathlon medalists (for both men and women) and then adding the next seven highest-ranked athletes from the 2009 world rankings.
The modified Gold Group for the second half of the season includes the six Beijing medalists, the top three men and women from the 2009 world rankings, and then next highest-ranked athletes based on the first three series events of 2010.
Members of the Gold Group for the remainder of the 2010 season are:
Women
Mariko Adachi (JPN)
Sarah Haskins (USA)
Andrea Hewitt (NZL)
Helen Jenkins (GBR)
Emma Moffatt (AUS)
Lisa Norden (SWE)
Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI)
Daniella Ryf (SUI)
Emma Snowsill (AUS)
Nicola Spirig (SUI)
Men
Courtney Atkinson (AUS)
Alistair Brownlee (GBR)
Alexander Brukhankov (RUS)
Bevan Docherty (NZL)
Jan Frodeno (GER)
Javier Gomez (ESP)
Steffen Justus (GER)
Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS)
Dmitry Polyansky (RUS)
Simon Whitield (CAN)
