Sports

Sarah Haskins Olympics Triathlon Bid Falls Just Short

Parkway graduate finishes eighth in the Olympic Trials Friday in San Diego; will be alternate for the U.S. triathlon team for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Sarah Haskins came up just short in her bid Friday to be a member of the US Olympic triathlon team.

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Haskins, a graduate who now lives in High Ridge finished eight at the International Triathlon Union race in San Diego, which was by Brit Helen Jenkins. More importantly to Haskins' hopes, however, was the third place finish by Laura Bennett, the top American finisher.

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Since two spots on the U.S. Olympic triathlon team already had been decided, the San Diego race would only see one more U.S. racer selected. Bennett secured that spot. The other two Americans on the U.S. team, who had previously qualified, are Sarah Groff and Gwen Jorgensen. Haskins will be an alternate for the U.S. team.

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Haskins father, Brian Haskins, said Sarah led a breakaway of about eight racers following the swimming leg of the event, which included Bennett, and continued in that pack through the bike portion of the triathlon. But Haskins faltered in the last, running portion of the race and fell 45 seconds behind at the end.

"We are all very proud of her," Brian Haskins said of his daughter. "It just didn't work out this time."

Sarah Haskins was making a bid to return to Olympic competition, after competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the triathlon.


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