Three International Triathlon Union (ITU) triathletes from the USA will be competing in the Gatorade Triathlon Series Races 4 & 5, in Australia, as part of an international training camp. The confirmed participation by the athletes is being welcomed by Sports Media and Entertainment 360 (SME360), which organizes the Gatorade Triathlon Series.
The Gatorade Triathlon Series has been running for 30 years and is one of the premier triathlon series in Australia. With race four set to take place in Portarlington on Sunday 12 March and Race 5 on 26 March at Catani Gardens St Kilda, entries are still open for both events, which will round out the season Down Under for 2017.
Keeghan Hurley, Jack Felix and JR Creekmore are all part of USA Triathlon’s 2020 Tokyo Target Squad and are talent transfer athletes from the US Collegiate System. The three athletes are part of the same program that has produced champion triathletes such as Gwen Jorgensen, Katie Zaferes, Kirsten Kasper, Summer Cook and Renee Tomlin.
Olympic Triathlon Coach and National Development Head Coach of USA Triathlon, Jarrod Evans said the aim of the camp is to utilise the summer weather in Australia and gain international experience for the athletes.
“As you know it is just coming out of winter in the US over this time, so the main focus of the camp is to do some hard training based out of Geelong and use some of the Australian domestic racing events like the Gatorade Triathlon Series as part of their training as well” he said.
Long time swimmer turned Triathlete, JR Creekmore, said he is looking forward to focusing his energy on training for the Olympics by competing in Races 4 and 5 of the Gatorade Series. “After college, I wanted to put my former swimming abilities back to work, so I took to triathlon where I could harness both running and swimming in a new platform of racing. In 2016 I was accepted into the USA Triathlon National Development Team and this will allow me to focus on working towards Tokyo 2020,” said Creekmore.
Creekmore’s teammate, Keeghan Hurley is keen to utilise Australia’s climate. “I come from the extreme north central part of the United States where temperatures reach -30C during March, so it’s no wonder I am looking forward to opening my triathlon season competing in the Gatorade Triathlon Series in Melbourne. I have been extensively base training and am anxious to finally race,” Hurley said.
Also a former NCAA Collegiate sportsman like his two teammates, Jack Felix was selected from college into the USA National Triathlon Development Team. “I’m stoked that I get to kick off this season in Australia at the Gatorade Triathlon Series! I have heard great things about the events and can’t wait to experience them for myself,” he said.
