New Olympic Development Team with USAT and Life Time Fitness

A new Olympic development team based in Scottsdale, Arizona  is setting its sights on Rio 2016. USA Triathlon has partnered with Life Time – The Healthy Way of Life Company to create a high performance training environment for seven talented athletes who have been selected from a Collegiate Recruitment Program. The former collegiate runners and swimmers set up their base to Scottsdale in January 2014 where USA Triathlon coaches are using Life Time Fitness Scottsdale for swim training, performance testing, and strength and conditioning. The program was previously based at the Olympic Training Centre in Colorado Springs.

“As the Collegiate Recruitment Program continues to expand its reach, we wanted to establish a high-caliber training base while considering factors such as climate, environment, facilities and expertise,” said Andy Schmitz, USA Triathlon High Performance General Manager. “By relocating the program to Scottsdale and employing the various resources available to athletes through Life Time’s Endurance programming, we are able to provide specialized instruction to athletes who have demonstrated their potential to be on the U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team as early as 2016.”

USA Triathlon’s Collegiate Recruitment Program was launched in 2009 to actively recruit Division I swimmers and runners to the sport of triathlon. Through established coaching and mentoring channels, USA Triathlon provides athletes with the support need to podium  at ITU World Triathlon Series events and the Olympic Games. Gwen Jorgensen, a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team and the first U.S. woman to ever win an ITU World Triathlon Series event, became an elite triathlete in 2010 with help from the Collegiate Recruitment Program following her time as a standout runner at the University of Wisconsin. For more on the Collegiate Recruitment Program, visit USATriathlon.org.

“Life Time is honored to support the development of these talented young athletes as they prepare for world class competition, representing the U.S.,” said Troy Jacobson, Sr. National Director of Life Time Endurance Sports Training. “Our Life Time destinations nationwide offer endurance athletes of all levels advanced training solutions and amenities from triathlon coaching to metabolic testing. We’re excited to have the opportunity to help these future triathletes reach their star potential.”