Three members of the Triathlon Club in Thunder Bay recently qualified for the XTERRA World Championships.
Matt Agar a 44-year old firefighter, his 17 year old daughter Emily, a current member of the Thunder Bay Thunder Bolt swim team, along with 17 year old Sawyer Puumala a multisport athlete who competed in the national Cross Country Championships and avid mountain biker all made the cut to participate in this global event.
260 participants took part in the local competition at Boulevard Lake and on the Trowbridge/Centennial Park Trail system.
This October these three triathletes will travel to Ruidoso, New Mexico to compete against nearly 1,000 other participants from 50 nations.
Phil Brown, member of the organizing committee for the XTERRA Sleeping Giant and Head Coach of The Endurance Company where the athletes trained, is proud of their hard work. Brown says each athlete puts in at least 500 hours of training each year to prepare for the event.
“What excites me most is that Emily and Sawyer’s achievement shows other teens that big goals are possible if you’re willing to work hard, keep showing up and see where the journey takes you. There’s also something really special about a father and daughter pursuing a goal together. Matt and Emily will experience a world championship together as athletes, creating a memory they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives, regardless of the result. For the Endurance Company, having three athletes heading to a world championship is a really proud moment. I’m pleased to see these exceptional young people discover what they’re capable of”, says Brown.
We wish all of the athletes the very best of success at the competition.
