Former University of Tennessee swimmer, Bethany Handley, took home a top-5 finish at USA Triathlon’s Age Group National Championship. Held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the event gathered the best amateur triathletes from around the country. Bethany used her swimming prowess to navigate the strong current of the Black Warrior River. While some athletes struggled in the current, coming out of the water in almost double the time it would normally take them to complete the 1500m swim, Bethany emerged with one of the fastest swim times male or female.
Out on the bike, Bethany returned her fastest 40k split to date, with a 1:07:41. Bethany’s run also seems to improve with each race, and this race was no different. The three large hills on the course appeared to have no effect on Bethany as she capped off the day with a 39 minute 10k.
Bethany’s 5th place finish qualified her as an Elite Triathlete, a racing status she’ll take on in the 2010 season, where she’ll likely make her way into premier ITU events.
