Zaferes Wins Final ITU Event Before Rio
7/19/2016 9:06:00 AM | Track and Field
Syracuse track and field alum and member of the U.S. Olympic Team in the triathlon, Katie Zaferes won her first ITU World Triathlon Series gold medal in Hamburg this weekend.
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The Hamburg Wasser World Triathlon was a sprint distance race, and Zaferes moved into the lead pack during the bike portion of the race, eventually pulling away during the run. The feat is something few women have had the honor of doing as Zaferes is just the 18th different winner in WTS history.
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"I am so excited," Zaferes said following the win. "The first part, this beginning of the year was not what I wanted. I was not the Katie that I know I am, and today I just raced like me and I got the reward and it was awesome!"
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"I just decided to keep it simple, I had been overthinking stuff at the beginning of the year and today I just was going to go as hard as I can in the swim, bike and run and that is what I did and I believed in myself. This is exactly what I needed just going into Rio, is just to see that I was the same person that I was last year."
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The event was Zaferes' final tune-up prior to next month's Olympics, where she is a medal contender. The former 'Cuse runner currently sits in seventh overall in World Triathlon Series standings.
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At Syracuse, Zaferes, then Katie Hursey, was a USTFCCCA Honorable Mention All-American in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as a senior in 2012 and graduated as the school record holder in the 3000-meter steeplechase and the indoor 5000-meter run.
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The Olympic triathlon will take place on August 20.
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The Hamburg Wasser World Triathlon was a sprint distance race, and Zaferes moved into the lead pack during the bike portion of the race, eventually pulling away during the run. The feat is something few women have had the honor of doing as Zaferes is just the 18th different winner in WTS history.
Â
"I am so excited," Zaferes said following the win. "The first part, this beginning of the year was not what I wanted. I was not the Katie that I know I am, and today I just raced like me and I got the reward and it was awesome!"
Â
"I just decided to keep it simple, I had been overthinking stuff at the beginning of the year and today I just was going to go as hard as I can in the swim, bike and run and that is what I did and I believed in myself. This is exactly what I needed just going into Rio, is just to see that I was the same person that I was last year."
Â
The event was Zaferes' final tune-up prior to next month's Olympics, where she is a medal contender. The former 'Cuse runner currently sits in seventh overall in World Triathlon Series standings.
Â
At Syracuse, Zaferes, then Katie Hursey, was a USTFCCCA Honorable Mention All-American in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as a senior in 2012 and graduated as the school record holder in the 3000-meter steeplechase and the indoor 5000-meter run.
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The Olympic triathlon will take place on August 20.
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