TRIATHLON-WOMEN

TRIATHLON-WOMEN Mujeres continue their efforts for more recognition in triathlon Cancun, Mexico.- Canada's International Triathlon Union (ITU) Women's Committee president Pamela Fralik and Mexico's Nelly Becerra, her colleague in the Pan American Triathlon Confederation, highlighted women's role and challenges in this Olympic sport. The ITU Women's Committee will have three major activities in Cancun: the lauching of the tri-spirit project, the creation of a global network of women in triathlon and the traditional breakfast with some of the world's outstanding figures in the sport, such as Canada's Carol Montgomery and USA's Sister Madonna Buder. The tri-spirit initiative aims to collect usued triathlon items in developed countries and donate them to developing countries so "we could all the opportunity to do triathlon", said Fralik. With the global network, the ITU will expand its seven-member women's committee and be able to work more closely with national federations in developing wome's triathlon, not only in the competitive area, but also in the administration, marshalls and coaching areas. The ITU women's breakfast will deal with triumph and the guests will tell their experience on the challenges they have come through to succeed in triathlon and be in the same position as men. Canada's Carol Montgomery, one of the few acting founders of the ITU World Championships and current Commonwealth Games gold medalist, and USA's Sister Madonna Buder, who started to run ate the age of 48 and today, at 72, owns several Ironman Hawaii and World Championship wins. In Fralik's opinion, "triathlon is not just a sport, but a lesson in life because we have to work hard, have discipline and overcome problems and adversities to be able more opportunities as men do" Asked about the Latin American context, Becerra stated that there's still a long way to go, but some countries like Argentina have done great efforts to promote the sport, specially by organizing women's only races and giving them more decision-taking positions. Also present in a press conference held at Cancun Convention Center, coach Nanes Maza, presidente of the Triathlon Association in Mexico City, and Cecilia Manazzoni, member of the PATCO and Argentinean Olympic Committee's women's Commission, explained their personal experiences and the efforts they have done to provide more space for women in their respectives countries. All agreed on the the importance of women's triathlon, the first event contested in the 2000 Sydney Summer Games when the sport made its Olympic debut. Created in 1974, triathlon has always conceived the same distance for men and women and today prize money in equally distributed in all ITU races. A total of 64 female athletes from 24 countries are registered for Sunday's elite race. end