Cierra Sullivan finishes 9th in Denmark duathlon

    Representing Team USA, Cierra Sullivan traveled to Odense, Denmark, last month to compete in the ITU Multisport World Championships. It was her second year to compete in the championships, having traveled to Penticton, British Columbia, for the 2017 event.
    Within the International Triathlon Union, Sullivan’s specialty is the duathlon. The standard distance, which she competed in this year, consists of a 10K run, followed by a 40K bike ride, then another 5K run. While the championships spanned several days, Sullivan’s particular event was held July 6. She placed ninth in the 25-29-year-old women’s division and 78th out of 160 women overall.
    Making the trip from Holyoke to support Sullivan in the recent duathlon were her parents, Jeff and Olga, as well as her sister, Brenna.
    Athletes can qualify for the championships each year in one of two ways. In Sullivan’s case, it was a top-five finish in a national race that earned her a spot in Odense. The qualifying race was the USA Triathlon’s Duathlon National Championship in Bend, Oregon, last June.

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