Posted: October 1, 2005

Triathlon: Many Stories on Team USA

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 30, 2005) – USA Triathlon will send a team of more than 600 age group triathletes to Honolulu, Hawaii, for the 2005 JAL International Triathlon Union (ITU) Age Group Triathlon World Championships in aquathlon (Oct. 4) and triathlon (Oct. 9).

Obviously, 600 athletes have 600 stories to tell. In the days leading up to the race, USA Triathlon will post as many of these stories as possible to our web site. We apologize that we can't recognize everyone, but will do our best to recognize as many as possible.

If you have a story you'd like to tell, please e-mail USA Triathlon Communications and Media Relations Manager B.J. Hoeptner Evans at bj@usatriathlon.org.

Good luck to everyone competing in Honolulu!

Dirk Bartels (45; Cupertino, Calif.): Bartels played four years of professional hockey in Germany. He has had great success in long and ultra distance triathlons.

Michael Boehmer (25; Delafield, Wis.): Boehmer was the overall men's winner of the 2002 age group worlds in Cancun, Mexico and was also the U.S. collegiate champion in 2002. In 2004, he finished fifth overall and second in the men's 25-29 age group at the ITU world championships in Madeira, Portugal.

Sister Madonna Buder (75: Spokane, Wash.): Sister Madonna has won eight ITU world triathlon titles. She took up running at age 48, did her first triathlon at 51 and has set several world records for her age group in all distances of triathlon.

Susan Bradley-Cox (67; Lexington, Ky.): Bradley-Cox is an eight-time gold medallist at the ITU World Triathlon Championships, most recently in 2003 in Cancun.

Tricia Downing (36; Denver, Colo.): On Sept. 17, 2000, Downing was hit by a car while riding her bicycle in Golden, Colo. She was paralyzed from the chest down on impact. Downing had worked with disabled athletes and knew she could continue to compete. In 2003, she was named USA Triathlon's Physically Challenged Athlete of the Year after winning her division at the 2003 age group worlds. Most recently, she completed the ultra distance Redman Triathlon.

Sunny Gilbert (26; Boulder, Colo.): Previously a collegiate triathlon champion, Gilbert won the U.S. overall women's national championship in 2004 in Shreveport, La., to qualify for Honolulu.

Jeff Glasbrenner (32; Little Rock, Ark.): Glasbrenner lost his leg in a farming accident at the age of 8. He has participated in two Paralympic Games (2000 in Sydney and 2004 in Athens) for wheelchair basketball. He has just recently picked up the sport of triathlon.

Sheila Isaacs (68; Shoreham, N.Y.): Last year, Isaacs completed her mission of doing a triathlon in each of the 50 U.S. states.

Jessica Jones (27; Bellaire, Texas): Jones is a captain in the U.S. Army who served in Iraq until February of 2005. In June, she won the 2005 U.S. Military Championships.

Pete Kain (42; Cupertino, Calif.): Kain has won his age group at the ITU world championships three times and the U.S. national championships six times. His wife, Shari, is a four-time national champion in cycling, cyclo-cross, and off-road triathlon.

Wayne McSheehy (73; Fort Walton Beach, Fla.): McSheehy has won his age group at the ITU World Championships in 1992, '97 and 2002. Prior to the 2002 World Championships in Cancun, Mexico, McSheehy was losing energy during the run and had problems during the race. A stress test showed him to be in good shape, but the problems continued. In August of 2005, McSheehy had a coronary calcium scoring test – a CAT scan on the coronary arteries to determine calcium deposits. A score of 400 is bad and his was nearly 3,000, with one artery scoring over 2,500. After a stress test and echocardiogram turned up negative, McSheehy visited another cardiologist who looked at the test and told him he obviously had a problem. The doctor found an 80 percent blockage in McSheehy's coronary artery, and put in a stent. Eight days later, McSheehy did a small race and showed improvement. McSheehy hopes that others can benefit from his story.

Paul (63) and John (35) Reback (North Palm Beach, Fla.): John Reback was the overall U.S. national age group champion in 2003 and was also named a USAT Athlete of the Year that year. Both men competed at the 2004 World Championships in Madeira, Portugal. Paul and John are, respectively, the father and brother of elite triathlete Laura Bennett, who is married to top Australian triathlete Greg Bennett. Laura Bennett has medaled at the elite world championships the last three years.

Kirk Rose (58; Albany, Ore.): Rose was crippled when he was born and has a bad heart. He underwent open-heart surgery in 1977 and again in 1993. The first heart surgery resulted in some brain damage, resulting in epilepsy, which is somewhat controlled by medication.

Donna Smyers (48; Adamant, Vt.): Smyers is the defending world champion in the 45-49 age group. She also won her age group at the 2002 world championships and finished third in 2003. Smyers is also a top ultra distance triathlete and is the older sister of elite triathlete Karen Smyers.

Source: USA Triathlon.