Team World Triathlon is having its final roll of the dice. The Olympic qualifying period ends within four weeks of him, so it will soon be known which members of the current team will go to Paris.
As a reminder, Team World Triathlon aims to provide support, resources and expertise to athletes from emerging/developing country federations to help them qualify for this summer’s Paris Olympics. It’s about providing knowledge. Of his 27 athletes on the team, more than half still have a realistic shot at qualifying.
Who is nearby?
As of this writing, three members of Team World Triathlon have virtually guaranteed Olympic spots. WTCS medalist Javad Abdelmoula (MAR) is the frontrunner in that regard, but Diego Moya (CHI) will also be on the men’s start list in Paris. Moya recently won bronze at the Wollongong World Cup, effectively cementing his eligibility. Meanwhile, on the women’s side, after Maria Carolina Velázquez Soto (COL) won silver in Wollongong, she can now look to Paris.
Several other team members are also incredibly close to passing. Erica Hawley (BER) is confident of securing a spot, but remains vulnerable to last-minute ranking changes. Not far behind Holly in the Olympic rankings is Zuzana Michilikova (SVK). The Slovakian athlete has enjoyed an impressive performance at the World Cup since last August, finishing in the top 10 five times and is on the brink of qualifying. Badr Siwane (MAR) is another athlete trying to qualify for the Olympic rankings.
At the same time, Michilikova’s compatriot and team member Ivana Kuriakova is currently leading the European women’s new flag race. In the African women’s New Flag race, Vicky van der Merwe (RSA) is the undisputed leader, with Sieverdeen Ismail (EGY) in hot pursuit for a spot in the African men’s New Flag race.
Additionally, three team athletes may earn two universal spots per gender. Tyler Smith (BER), Eloy Adjavon (TOG) and Edda Hanesdóttir (ISL) are likely to receive invitations from the tripartite committee.
Several other members have Olympic aspirations, and Team World Triathlon will continue its qualifying efforts until the deadline at the end of May. This month he will have two of his WTCS races and his two World Cups, so many of the teams will be competing against the best teams in the world as they chase their way to Paris.
WTCS – Yokohama and Cagliari
Two athletes have secured starting spots at WTCS Yokohama, and the team will select one representative for each of the men’s and women’s races. Moya will start in the former, while Mihalikova will be on the pontoon in the latter. Mihalikova is in the early stages of his career yet he has not finished in the top 30 in a WTCS race. If she achieves her best-ever performance at the Yokohama Games, her Olympic berth could become a reality. Moya, on the other hand, hopes to translate his recent World Cup medal win into a top finish at the WTCS.
Five members of the team will compete in the second WTCS race in Cagliari in May. One of the quintet’s most notable stories is that of Matthew Wright (BAR).
Wright last competed in the WTCS in 2018 in Edmonton. Almost six years have passed since he took to the starting line at Cagliari, and just completing his journey back would be a huge achievement. If all goes according to plan, Wright could qualify for the Olympics and make his WTCS return the same weekend. He will be joined by Abdelmoura.
Three women will start in Cagliari for Team World Triathlon. Mihalikova is set to return for more WTCS action and will be joined by her fellow Slovakian Kuriakova. Holly will complete the trio at Cagliari. She has yet to finish inside the top 40 in a WTCS race, and she feels she is in a similar situation to Mihalikova. If she achieves her best finish, Paris might come calling.
World Cup – Samarkand and Huatulco
Of course, world-class racing isn’t just happening at this month’s WTCS. In May, two World Cups will be held in Samarkand and Huatulco during the final two weeks of Olympic qualifying. The two events will actually take place on the same weekend, between the showdowns in Yokohama and Cagliari.
Samarkand will be the second of two designated World Cup events for Team World Triathlon ahead of the Olympic qualification deadline at the end of May. The first tournament was last month’s Chengdu World Cup. Therefore, it attracted a significant group of team athletes.
Holey and Mikulikova are scheduled to race in Samarkand a week before WTCS Cagliari. May is sure to be a busy month for Michikulikova as she competes in one of three world-class races. Romana Gajdsová (SVK) and Hanesdóttir will also be present.
Aleksandr Kulishov (UZB) gets the chance to compete in a World Cup in his homeland as Uzbekistan welcomes the triathlon community to its first World Cup competition. Smith, Siwan, Henry Rappo (EST) and {/exp:tag_this}Panagiotis Vitados{/exp:tag_this} (GRE) will also compete in the men’s event.
The glorious Huatulco World Cup returns in Mexico. Velasquez, like Moya, will be aiming for his second World Cup medal of the season. Van der Merwe is hoping to bring her African brilliance, undefeated on her home continent, to her new pasture in Huatulco in 2024, with fellow team member and South African athlete Amber Schull Bush will also be included.
Two team members from Costa Rica and Ecuador will also start in Huatulco. Álvaro Campos Solano and Raquel Solis Guerrero will represent the former, while Gabriel Teran Carvajal and Ramon Armando Matute will represent the latter.
Therefore, many Team World Triathletes will be competing in May’s WTCS and World Cup events. But they are on the cusp of qualifying for the Olympics, and will have to overcome the best efforts of countries around the world to reach Paris. Stay up to date on how Team World Triathlon is doing on their Olympic journey through TriathlonLive and World Triathlon social channels.