USD Athlete Represents Team USA in Australia
Standout performances get recognition and medals, but for one South Dakota triathlon athlete, her performances earned her a trip to Australia. Senior Chelsea Webber was one of five triathlon athletes who had the opportunity to represent the United States at the U23 Women’s World Championships.
“When I first found out that I had been selected to represent team USA I was honestly shocked. It didn’t really hit me until I was on the start line about to that race that I had been selected to compete at that high of a level. I had been preparing in hopes that I would qualify for this race for a long time now and the fact that it became reality was surreal for me,” Webber said.
The championships were held in Wollongong, Australia starting Oct. 15, and Webber competed on Oct. 16. The event consisted of a 1,500-meter swim, a 40-kilometer bike and a 10-kilometer run. Webber’s schedule saw a bit of an unusual change, as she competed at 1:15 a.m. central time, but 4:15 p.m. in Wollongong.
“We had been preparing for this race for a while now, in hopes that I qualified, so it felt really rewarding knowing that all of that hard work was going to be put to use for this race,” Webber said.
She finished with a time of 2:07.55, which put her in 35th overall. Her split times included a 19:06 in the swim, 1:04.57 biking and a 42:26 run.
She has secured a pair of top 10 finishes in her collegiate races this fall, as well as finishing in the top 10 at the U23 Americas Triathlon Championships in Columbia over the summer. Webber was the top finisher from the USA in the field, and finished third out of the USA competitors at the World Championships.
“The main goals moving forward is to continue with the positive energy and finish strong for my last NCAA season with my teammates. The team is looking really strong, so I am excited to see what we will be able to accomplish as we go into championship season!” Webber said.
The Coyote triathlon team will compete next in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday, Oct. 26 for the West Regional Championships, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
