call me crazy

The US men's triathlon team didn't do so hot in Athens despite Hunter Kemper having the fastest run split in the race and Andy Potts having the fastest swim. Kemper finished 9th and Potts finished 22nd - Victor Plata finished in no man's land - 27th.

I don't think the results are a case of bad luck as much as they are of bad emphasis.

USA Triathlon - who selects athletes for development and sets the criteria for national team qualifications - seems to think that cycling is not an important part of draft-legal triathlons. Check out the qualifications criteria for the national team development programs. You can make a US national development team without having demonstrated any cycling prowess whatsoever.

I think it's a shame that Kemper came out of the water less than 30 seconds behind the leaders, ran the fastest run split of the day and finished nineth. He just got smoked on the bike. And it may just be a coincidence, but I have always thought it was strange that USA Triathlon's criteria for aspiring national teamster doesn't even mention cycling. Call me crazy.