For Release: November 21, 1997

World's Elite Triathletes Qualify for the 1998 Goodwill Games

The top three female and male finishers in last Sunday's International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships are the first to qualify for the 1998 Goodwill Games Triathlon competition in New York. Australian teammates Emma Carney, Jackie Gallagher and Michellie Jones swept the 1997 World Championships' top three women's placements to secure positions. Australian Chris McCormack, along with Hamish Carter of New Zealand and Simon Lessing of Great Britain earned their respective spots in the 1998 Goodwill Games Triathlon by besting the men's field at the ITU World Championships, November 16, in Perth, Australia.

Also qualifying for the 1998 Goodwill Games Triathlon line-up are Erika Molnar from Hungary and Greg Bennett of Australia. Both have earned entry as the highest-ranked ITU athletes who did not finish among the top three at the World Championships. Molnar holds the number two ITU ranking solely behind standout Carney, the number one ranked female triathlete in both 1996 and 1997. Bennett, ranked number three behind McCormack and Carter, finished fifth in Perth and is credited with the 1997 ITU World Cup title in Monaco. A total of 25 males and 25 females triathletes are eligible to qualify for the Goodwill Games Triathlon event.

"The results from Australia are impressive. With two women competitors posting sub two-hour performances, the Goodwill Games looks to next summer with great anticipation," said Mike Plant, 1998 Goodwill Games President. "The residents of New York City will be able to watch one of the world's most competitive triathlons of this century."

The 1998 Goodwill Games, scheduled July 19 - August 2 in Long Island and Manhattan, are an international, multi-sport event that will showcase the world's best athletes competing in 15 of the world's most popular sports. The Triathlon competition is scheduled July 25 in Manhattan.

The Goodwill Games Triathlon swim course will begin and end in Lower Manhattan, with the World Financial Center as a backdrop. The athletes will swim the majority of the 1.5 kilometer (km) course in the Hudson River. The 40 km bike route also winds through lower Manhattan and into Central Park. The final segment, the 10 km run, will take place entirely in Central Park, where the runners will complete three consecutive 1.8 km loops.

"The results of the ITU Worlds indicate that we will have an excellent showing for the 1998 Goodwill Games," said Les McDonald, president of the ITU. "We are confident that the Triathlon at the Goodwill Games will be a preview of what is expected in Sydney in 2000. Manhattan will bring its own energy to the event, and we look forward to a highly competitive race."

The other qualifying criteria for the remaining 21 males and 21 females will be two men and two women "wild card" selections from each of the seven ITU regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Central America & Caribbean, North America, South America and Oceania. In addition, three female and three male "wild card" selections from any region of the world will also be chosen. Selections will be made by ITU and the 1998 Goodwill Games no later than June 25, 1998, just one month prior to the competition.

As founding countries of the Goodwill Games, the National Federations of the United States and Russia are each allowed three male and female entries, based upon selection criteria determined by each respective Federation. The maximum number of athletes per country is six, excluding automatic entries from the U.S. and Russia.

TBS Superstation, the Games' host network, will televise 45 hours of prime-time coverage of the 1998 Goodwill Games. CBS will televise 10 hours of weekend, afternoon coverage. In addition to appearing on TBS Superstation and CBS, boxing will be televised on HBO as part of the Boxing After Dark series.

The 1998 Goodwill Games have re-focused their mission to benefit the worlds children. To achieve its new mission, the Goodwill Games will be working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and UNICEF International.

Past Goodwill Games sites include Moscow, Soviet Union, 1986; Seattle, Wash., 1990; and St. Petersburg, Russia, 1994.

The Goodwill Games are hosted through a combined effort between Goodwill Games, Inc. and the participating sports federations, in conjunction with the appropriate state, city and county governmental agencies. Goodwill Games, Inc., a division of Turner Sports, is responsible for all aspects of the event.

CONTACTS:
Michael Lewellen Goodwill Games, Atlanta 404/827-4786
Eileen Sexton Goodwill Games, Atlanta 404/827-5624
Richard Finn Goodwill Games, New York 212/484-7647
Les McDonald International Triathlon Union 604/926-7250