Katie Zaferes heads to Hong Kong as she aims for another Olympics
We interview the Tokyo silver and bronze medalist and get some insights on the challenges of making it to Paris
Photo by:
Kevin Mackinnon
American Katie Zaferes (pictured above winning the World Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2019) overcame a number of challenges just to make the Olympic team for the Tokyo Olympics. The 2019 world champion had to fight back to full fitness for the Games, earning the bronze medal in the individual race while helping the US team take the silver in the mixed relay, after taking time off when her father died unexpectedly in April, 2021.
As you can read in the story below, Zaferes was given a discretionary spot for the American team for Tokyo. While ranked higher than countrywoman Taylor Spivey in the Olympic ranking, Spivey had beaten Zaferes in their last two races before the pick was made.
Zaferes did the USA Triathlon selection committee proud, though, with her double-medal performance. Now Zaferes is looking for what she calls a “bonus” Olympic round after giving birth to son Kimble in 2022.
Zaferes finds herself in another tough position in terms of Olympic qualifying – she’s currently the seventh-ranked American in the World Triathlon rankings, which isn’t high enough to get her into the final automatic qualifying race for the US team – World Triathlon Championship (WTCS) Yokohama in May. Zaferes appeared to be on track to earn some valuable points at the Americas Triathlon Championship Miami a couple of weeks ago as she broke away from the rest of the field on the bike, but would eventually drop out of the race due to the heat.
Zaferes is on the line this weekend at the inaugural World Triathlon Cup Hong Kong, along with a number of other Americans who are looking to try and qualify for the Games in Paris this summer, including fellow Tokyo athlete Summer Rappaport, Kirsten Kasper and Erika Ackerlund. (Spivey and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen will compete at a super sprint World Triathlon Cup in Lievin, France on March 30.)
Triathlon Magazine editor Kevin Mackinnon caught up with Zaferes before the Miami race to get some insights on how tough it will be to get back to the Olympics. Thanks to Clash Endurance and Josh Wilson for the video!
