CLINTON, Ill. – The Black Hills State University triathlon team competed in their first sprint race of the season on Saturday morning, which featured a 750m swim, a 20k bike, and a 5k run, where they posted a second place team finish as they accumulated 260 points. In the 12-team, 66-athlete field, all nine of the Yellow Jackets that finished placed within the top-35, including four top-20 finishers, and was highlighted by a sixth place result for Keira Wilkinson.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• For the second consecutive race, Keira Wilkinson posted the fastest time by a Black Hills State athlete, turning in a sixth place finish with a time of 1:09:27. Second among the Yellow Jackets, she held the 12^th fastest time in the 750m swim as she clocked in at 12:54. She continued to move up in the field as she notched the fastest time by BHSU during the first transition (0:24) and the fastest time among every athlete competing in the 20k bike ride as she posted a time of 32:24. She completed the race with the fastest time by a Yellow Jacket in transition two (0:26) and seventh fastest overall, before ending the event with a time of 23:21 in the 5k run.
• Jadyn Johnson made her season debut with a 13^th place finish, recording a time of 1:11:07 in the sprint triathlon. She started the morning with times of 14:12 in the swim, 0:38 in the first transition, 33:21 in the bike, and 0:32 in the second transition, prior to posting the eighth fastest time among all competing athletes with a time of 22:27 in the run. She was one of just two Yellow Jackets to notch a 5k run time of 23 minutes or faster.
• Third among competing Black Hills State athletes was Natalie Moose-Elkin, who clocked an overall time of 1:12:18 for a 16^th place finish. She notched the third fastest mark by a BHSU competitor in the swim portion, posting a time of 12:56, she then followed with a times of 0:27 in the first transition, 34:14 in the bike, 0:30 in the second transition, and 24:12 in the run.
• Rounding out the quartet of Yellow Jackets inside the top-20 was Cassidy Teeslink, who posted a 19^th place finish as she secured a time of 1:14:28. After a time of 14:56 during the 750m swim, she quickly picked up ground with the second fastest transition one time by BHSU at 0:25, and the fourth fastest 20k bike time overall among all competitors at 33:00. She was one of just four athletes to clock a time of 33 minutes or faster during the bike portion of the race. Teeslink wrapped up the second triathlon of the year with a 0:31 transition two time and a 25:38 5k run time.
• Payton Sheehan was close behind Teeslink as she crossed the finish line 21^st with a time of 1:14:48. Sheehan clocked the fastest swim time by a Yellow Jacket and the 11^th fastest overall with a time of 12:53, she then tied for the second fastest time during the first transition by a BHSU athlete with a time of 0:25. The strong start continued for her when she posted the second fastest time overall in the bike portion of the race following right behind her teammate with a time of 32:27, one of just four times in the race that was 33 minutes or better. Sheehan recorded the eighth fastest time during the second transition, 0:27, and ended the day with a time of 28:39 during the run.
• Anna Austad notched a 25^th place finish with a time of 1:16.50 during the race at Clinton Lake State Recreation Area. She started the day with a time of 13:35 during the swim and followed with times of 0:41 during the first transition, 35:27 during the bike, 0:37 during the second transition, and 26:33 during the run.
• Scarlett Walsh collected a 27^th place finish, posting a time of 1:16:52, just two seconds behind Austad. She began the sprint triathlon with a time of 13:28 in the swim and followed it with times of 0:42 in the first transition, 37:04 in the bike, 0:42 in the second transition, and ended the day with a 24:58 time in the run.
• Sydney Campbell earned a 30^th place finish with a time of 1:18:13 in the Prairie State Cup. She clocked a time of 14:59 during the opening 750m swim and proceeded to notch times of 0:27 during the first transition, 35:44 during the 20k bike, 0:30 during the second transition, and 26:36 during the 5k run to end the second triathlon of the year.
• Rounding out the Black Hills State athletes was Chantel Bickler who recorded a 31^st place finish with a time of 1:18:13 that was neck-and-and-neck with Campbell. She started the event with a time of 17:47 during the swim and added times of 0:29 during the first transition, 36:46 in the bike, 0:37 during the second transition, and 22:37 during the run. Bickler's time in the 5k run was second fastest among the Yellow Jackets and the ninth best among the field of competitors.

BLACK HILLS STATE RESULTS

Place	Name	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Total Time
6.	Keira Wilkinson	12:54	0:24	32:24	0:26	23:21	1:09:27
13.	Jadyn Johnson	14:12	0:38	33:21	0:32	22:27	1:11:07
16.	Natalie Moose-Elkin	12:56	0:27	34:14	0:30	24:12	1:12:18
19.	Cassidy Teeslink	14:56	0:25	33:00	0:31	25:38	1:14:28
21.	Payton Sheehan	12:53	0:25	32:27	0:27	28:39	1:14:48
25.	Anna Austad	13:35	0:41	35:27	0:37	26:33	1:16:50
27.	Scarlett Walsh	13:28	0:42	37:04	0:42	24:58	1:16:52
30.	Sydney Campbell	14:59	0:27	35:44	0:30	26:36	1:18:13
31.	Chantel Bickler	17:47	0:29	36:46	0:37	22:37	1:18:13
	Sydney Gasper						DNF

 
TEAM RESULTS

1. Duquesne	302
2. Black Hills State	260
3. North Central	250
4. South Dakota	220
5. Indianapolis	195
6. Trine	193
7. Central	173
8. Calvin	147
9. Millikin	48
10. Northern Kentucky	38
11. Coe	19
12. Concordia (Wis.)	12

 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State will have a pair of weekends off before they set their sights on the West National Qualifier, hosted by Drury University on Saturday, October 12. The collegiate race will start at 10:15 a.m. MT / 11:15 a.m. CT at Fellows Lake in Springfield, Missouri.