INFO | Europe Triathlon Nordic Championships individual results
 
Fredericia, Denmark----Wingate University senior women's triathlon student-athlete Julia Kekkonen helped Finland finish third in the Europe Triathlon Nordic Championships team competition Sunday in Denmark. The 2022 USA Triathlon Collegiate national champion for Division II schools, Kekkonen finished fifth in the individual race Saturday.
 
What They Are Saying
Wingate women's triathlon head coach Nick Radkewich
 
"I was excited to have Julia selected to represent Finland at the Nordic Championships. This gave her an excellent opportunity to compete against elite level triathletes in preparation for the season. The race also continued her pursuit of starting selection for World Triathlon events with the ultimate goal of securing points to represent Finland and Wingate University at the Olympic Games in the future."
 
"The opportunity to return home also allowed Julia to continue preparation to defend her individual national championship without interruption, as the Wingate University pool is still undergoing renovations for the fall."
 
Wingate women's triathlon junior student-athlete Julia Kekkonen
 
"My race was one of the worst ones of my season, as my legs and my mind were not there for one of this season's big races. Traveling overseas (and back) and catching a cold were not the ideal way to prepare for the race. I just could not perform on the race day. Mentally, I was somewhere else, as I also got a penalty for unracking my bike while my helmet was still hanging from the handlebar, which was such a rookie mistake. Finishing fifth was the best I could do."

"Luckily, my performance in the mixed team relay on Sunday was better. Everything started to come together again. Our Finnish team managed to take third. It was so much fun racing with a great team."
 
"Our next intercollegiate race is this Saturday in Pennsylvania. I look forward to performing at my best again and learning from this past weekend."
 
Next on the agenda
 
The Wingate University women's triathlon team will compete in the Duquesne (Pa.) University Invitational Saturday, September 9. The Invitational is the first of two Collegiate Cup races this season. The Collegiate Cup events serve as qualifiers for the regional championships in October.
 
Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 25 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 15 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
OneDog, #OneDog, and One Day One Dog are registered trademarks of Wingate University.