2024-03-07 17:44:56
Triathlon
With the start of the Triathlon World Cup series on Friday in Abu Dhabi, Olympic qualification is entering the home stretch. After the sprint competition in the Persian Gulf, there are only a few top-class races left until the end of May where points can be collected.
Austria’s aspirants for the Paris tickets have done well so far, two places each for women and men in the elite Olympic field are within reach. Julia Hauser, Lisa Perterer, Alois Knabl and Tjebbe Kaindl are currently on track in the adjusted rankings.
“We are generally doing well. We currently have our ideal target of two each, but we will still have to score points. But of course it’s good to go into the final section with a lead,” said ÖTRV sports director Robert Michlmayr. The two individual tickets would also guarantee participation in the Olympic mixed team competition. There have only been four Austrian triathletes at the Summer Games in Beijing in 2008 and in Tokyo in 2021.
Kaindl and Hauser not at the start
Perterer, Tanja Stroschneider and Knabl will be at the start of the World Cup in Abu Dhabi. Kaindl, who recently placed tenth at the start of the World Cup in New Zealand, would also be eligible to start, but he is skipping the race. The Tyrolean prefers a training camp in Australia followed by competitions in Asia.
Hauser, on the other hand, just didn’t make it into the strong field in the Emirates, but that’s bearable according to Michlmayr. After all, according to his calculations, the Viennese, like Knabl, no longer needs any additional Olympic points.
“There are different constellations”
In the two-year qualification period, only Yokohama (May 11th) and Cagliari (May 26th) are on the program at the highest level, while the less highly rated World Cup runs parallel to this. Many of the top stars and one or two Austrian Paris starters will complete the World Cup competition in Hamburg in July as the last acid test before the Summer Games. The ÖTRV leaves the competition there and the rest of the season planning up to the individual preferences of the athletes.
“We make sure that we provide everyone in the immediate area with the best possible support. There are different constellations among our athletes. For example, Knabl trains in a group with real top stars,” said Michlmayr. Despite all the individuality, there were also two joint ÖTRV training camps on the program in the winter.
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