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Sunday's Hy-Vee World Cup will be American's First Race since November
DES MOINES, Iowa (June 16, 2007) -- While he's been dealing with a nagging hip injury,
American triathlete Hunter Kemper has been on the
sideline competitively. He hasn't raced since late last
year, and that's something that this two-time Olympian
has found tough to deal with.
But Sunday, Kemper will change that with a start at the
ITU Des Moines World Cup at the Hy-Vee Triathlon in
Des Moines, Iowa.
Though he admits he is not 100 percent physically, he
is eager to get back onto the course with a strong
international field and with the home fans cheering on
the U.S. athletes along the way.
"It's a huge deal to have a World Cup in the U.S., to
showcase the excellent draft-legal style of racing,"
said Kemper, a native of Longwood, Fla. "It gives a
different look to the other big
races in the U.S. It's an exciting style."
Kemper is also impressed with the support given to
the event from Des Moines and the sponsor Hy-
Vee. "It's awesome what this one company has done
for the sport. They are committed to promoting the
healthy lifestyle. Another cool element is the big prize
purse. It's amazing that someone like Hy-Vee can
step in and provide this. Compared to other races, it's
not even close."
Getting the $200,000 (and a H3
Hummer) that goes to the winner will be a challenge
for Kemper, who still
feels pain from his injury. "My fitness level is okay. It's
not great," he said. "I'm about 70 percent back on my
running. My swim and bike are pretty close to where
they should be. The pain level is still there, especially
on the run. I deal with it everyday. I have no clue where
I'll end up when I cross the line. I just hope it won't be
too painful."
It's been a frustrating past few months for an athlete
who has had a nine-year professional career with no
major injuries. And his current setback comes on the
heels of
some of the highest moments in Kemper's
career.
After a 2005 season that capped off with a No. 1 world
ranking and several prestigious honors - including
being named USOC Sportsman of the Year - Kemper
was sitting on top of the triathlon world.
He began 2006 on a journey to defend his title, but
after winning his sixth USAT Elite National Title and
tying a career-high finish at ITU Worlds (seventh
place), Kemper's quest came to a grinding halt. Pain
in his hip forced him to a disappointing 44th at the
Beijing World Cup, and he wrapped up his season
with a 27th place in Cancun in November.
It took until March to identify what Kemper's injury
actually was, and since then it has been a game of
catch-up, trying to treat the injury and get his body back
to the fitness that carried him to two Olympic
Games.
"It is tough mentally. Trying to make a living and all
these big races come and go. It's been hard," said
Kemper, who lives and trains in Colorado Springs,
Colo. "This is the biggest injury I've had to deal
with in my career, and it's lasted the longest."
Luckily for Kemper, the injury came at a time when
another major life event was able to preoccupy much
of his time - the birth of his first child, Davis Thomas,
in January. "It's a blessing," said the new father. "It
puts your life into perspective, so that aspect has been
really good. It takes your mind off things. You come
home and you don't think about your injury."
Another "blessing" that Kemper sees is the chance
his injury has given him to cut back his schedule and
focus on his goal of qualifying for his third Olympics:
Beijing in 2008. "I'm 31 this year and I need to take
better care of my body," said Kemper. "Race by race,
I'll assess my injury. I plan to do LifeTime and then
New York, Longmont Haul to the Great Wall event,
Worlds in September and then the Beijing World Cup.
Hopefully I can get through August pain free. I hope to
be fresh for next year."
The injury has also somewhat lowered Kemper's
expectations on a high finish at this weekend's race.
He's just looking to have fun. "You usually take it low
key, not put yourself out there too much," said Kemper,
who has been highly involved in promoting the race
over the past year. "But I want to enjoy this, not take it
too seriously. I have no expectations. I just want to
enjoy the weekend."
About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is the national governing body for
triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in
the United States. USAT sanctions 2,000 races and
connects with more than 90,000 members each year,
making it the largest multisport organization in the
world.
Website: USATriathlon.org.
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