B_Doughtie wrote:
Here's the real truth.....there is no real difference in the men and women in the US for itu development. Where the difference is the demands of competition, and thus the demands for development, the variability of what they have to develop, etc.
That's it......women can get away with not being a triathlete at 19 and "develop" into a triathlete because the depth and strengths aren't as strong as it's on the men's side. Maybe some of these gals are better swim backgrounds in their teens, etc., but at the same time, the only male triathlete in ITU who I can think of who didn't swim is Murray. He came from a mtb/cycling background. Every other athlete I know of on the itu circuit trained as a triathlete, or atleast had the swim to put them in contention.
So the issue is understanding the demands of competition and then building athletes from that. Now, imo GJ's greatest strength is that she's now accelerated her competitors to force them to turn triathlon into a full on s-b-r; very similiar to what B's and Gomez have done...it's full on now for the whole race. So in order to beat GJ, each of these world class athletes is having to develop and play their strength. Flora is simply becoming a front pack machine of an athlete who's simply going to force you to bike to catch/keep up with her, and hope it fries your legs just enough that you can't catch her. Spirig for most of her itu races was 2nd pack (she had a crazy good tail end front pack swim in Rio...bravo for that effort), and usually biked up to the front, and forced the pace there.
So the US can bring in these truly stud D1 athletes who had some multi-sport background and build them into world class top 30 talent in 2-3 year window. That's almost unheard of at the men's level...atleast not to the point of getting a top 10-15 result on a fairly consistent basis.
So what does that mean? You have to figure out how to keep your creme de la creme junior talent in the sport, that's the reality. Keep them in the sport, move them into U-23's, keep them racing, put them in Europe for summers racing FGP or German Bungledesh (spelling). Have them go to college on simple academics and race club level and mash it (IE the Ben Kanute pathway)....Maybe just maybe you can develop 1 guy from a run background into a top 15 wts talent, but that's been very very hard process, and kudos for those coaches trying. And the reality is that's still really the only viable option, so that's the process you will continue to see. All the top US junior guys are usually very talented single sport athletes enough to get some money from universities, so they take that, kinda cross train, kinda don't cross train, do a few races in the summer, but really don't "come back" into the sport until they've exhausted D1 scholarship or were broken from that experience that now itu is the only option.
I got you. So, why in the hell triathlon is not involved in college? you've got the olympic female gold medal and that should be encouraging....
I'll tell about Spain too. Gomez is a former swimmer, he started the sport at 16-17, casual, he is one among one million. Ivan Raña, our first world champion started at 14. We both studied in the same high school. nobody at that time knew WTF was triathlon. Anyhow, for any oly sport, since the 90's, there is a central base in Madrid where you go in if you are talented, at younger ages (25 or younger).... Gomez did not even go once there. Raña was there for 1-2 years. Juniors and U23s are there. there is a good bunch. they just focus in training and studying...if they are good enough, they ll be allowed to stay longer, if not...game over.
Not even a single spanish guy but gomez,mola and alarza who get paid for being in the top 3-5 every year or the olympics plus some sponsorship, get profits. The rest of them just live for the day, even wts ocassionals like serrat,castro, abuin...
So, if triathlon is considered by the entire US university sports autorithies (iow, people in power) you ll get a dozen of guys in the series, same as women.
By the way, here Kona, not a big issue. ITU is on TV, Kona, nope...there is no culture for ironman. Not an olympic sport, too hard, too long...people think it is boring
Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P