Courtesy: USAT

Bildstein snares silver for USAT/SMW region!

The United State age group team captured five gold medals, five silver and seven bronze at the SBS International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Triathlon Championships on Saturday in Queenstown, New Zealand.

The United States brought the third largest team to the championships (301 total), after Australia (336) and host New Zealand (307). New Zealand led the gold medal haul with nine, followed by Australia with six.

In the women's races, Holly Nybo (Portola Valley Calif.) won the 40-44 age group, Karen Chequer-Pfeiffer (Santa Rosa, Calif.) won the 45-49 age group, Jan Miller (Morana, Ariz.) won the 65-69 age group and Sister Madonna Buder (Spokane, Wash.) won the 70- 74 age group.

In the men's races, Charley French (Ketchum, Idaho) won the gold in the 75-79 age group.

Among athletes with a disability, Aaron Scheidies (Farmington, Minn.), who competes in the blind category, won the overall title. Suzanne Elbon (Athens, Ga.), who is an above-the-elbow amputee, was the top women's finisher.

In the under-23 category, Kelsey Withrow (Woodinville, Wash.) led the United States, finishing 17th in the women's race, which was won by Australia's Nikki Egyed. Dave Messenheimer (Avon Lake, Ohio) was the top U.S. men's finisher in 30th. Javier Gomez of Spain won the men's race.

In the junior elite races, Jenna Yeakel (Canton, Ohio) placed 21st in the girls race and Christopher Stehula (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) placed 28th in the boys race.

Complete results are available at www.poprunresults.co.nz.

U.S. Age Group Medalists at the 2003 World Championships
Dec. 6, 2003; Queenstown, New Zealand
1.5k swim; 40k bike; 10k run

Women 30-34
2. Sabine Bildsten (Austin, Texas)
3. Melanie Holloway (Roswell, Ga.)

Women 40-44
1. Holly Nybo (Portola Valley, Calif.)
2. Amy Rice (Wakefield, R.I.)

Women 45-49
1. Karen Chequer-Pfeiffer (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
3. Donna Smyers (Montpelier, Vt.)

Women 55-59
2. Phyllis Mason (Wilmington, N.C.)

Women 65-69
1. Jan Miller (Morana, Ariz.)
3. Susan Bradley-Cox (Lexington, Ky.)

Women 70-74
1. Sister Madonna Buder (Spokane, Wash.)

Men 45-49
2. Steven Pyle (Riverside, Conn.)
3. George Esahak-Gage (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Men 50-54
3. Clifford Rigsbee (Waimanalo, Hawaii)

Men 60-64
3. Roger Little (Bedford, Mass.)

Men 65-69
2. Jon Adamson (Alpharetta, Ga.)
3. Gary Leske (Setauket, N.Y.)

Men 75-59
1. Charley French (Ketchum, Idaho)