Results/Photos

Date: July 25, 2026 Participant: Nicole Zielinski #2308 Race: 2026 Spudman Olympic Triathlon Event: Olympic Triathlon Weather: Hot, but otherwise a great day for a triathlon.

A 15-Minute Leap Forward: Big Gains Across Every Discipline Nicole Zielinski turned in a breakout performance at this year's Olympic Triathlon, finishing in 3:08:06 a dramatic 14:51 improvement over her previous outing at the same race. That improvement translated directly into the standings: she climbed from 1140th to 665th overall, from 302nd to 132nd among women, and jumped from 29th to 15th in her competitive division. Her bike leg stood out as a particular strength, where she averaged roughly 16.3 mph, a pace that consistently moved her up through the field during that segment. Nicole's swim and bike legs positioned her well heading into the run, where she held a solid rhythm despite some natural pace fluctuation over the final miles. Given the scale of improvement from last year, her training shifts are clearly paying dividends. Continuing to build run endurance late in Olympic-distance races could help her convert her strong bike positioning into even higher finishes moving forward.