Laura Bennett (triathlete)
Encyclopedia
Laura Marie Bennett (born 25 April 1975, in North Palm Beach, Florida
) is an American professional Triathlete. She placed fourth in the women’s triathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics
. She is currently the highest ranked American triathlete in the women's Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU
World Championship Series Rankings.
She was an All-American swimmer for Southern Methodist University
, and ran track and cross country in high school. She turned pro in 1999 after placing as the second U.S. amateur at the 1997 World Championship. As a professional, Bennett has been racing on the ITU
Olympic distance, draft legal racing circuit. She earned a silver medal at the World Triathlon Championships in 2003 and bronze medals in 2004, 2005, and 2007. She has also raced as a professional at the Half-Ironman distance
, placing 5th at the 2009 Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
where she ran track. For college, she attended Southern Methodist University
where she swam and pursued a finance degree. She graduated in 1997 with a BS in finance.
. She served as a co-captain, and was a member of the 1997 NCAA champion 400 medley relay.
In 1993, she was a member of the USA Triathlon Junior National Team, and was voted the USA Triathlon and Triathlete Magazine Junior of the Year in 1994. In 1997, after completing college, she was the second U.S. amateur at the World Championship in Perth, Australia.
racing circuit since 2001. She earned a silver medal at the World Triathlon Championships in 2003 and bronze medals in 2004, 2005, and 2007.
She first earned a spot on the Olympic team as the second alternate for the U.S. triathlon team at the 2000 Summer Olympics
, and as the first alternate in the 2004 Summer Olympics
. At the 2008 Summer Olympics
, she was the first American to qualify for the team, by placing first in the Beijing 2007 trials. At the games, she placed fourth with a time of 2:00:21.54.
She was selected as the 2010 Olympic/ITU Female Athlete of the Year for her consistent performances and end of season ranking during the 2010 racing season.
In 2010, the ITU
first started keeping track of segment rankings to reward the best athlete in each of the three disciplines throughout the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series. Bennett ranked first in the swim rankings 2010 season.
She is currently the highest ranked American triathlete in the women's Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU
World Championship Series Rankings.
rankings and the Athlete's Profile Page. Unless indicated otherwise, the events are triathlons (Olympic Distance) and belong to the Elite category.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) is an American professional Triathlete. She placed fourth in the women’s triathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. She is currently the highest ranked American triathlete in the women's Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU
International Triathlon Union
The International Triathlon Union or ITU is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations...
World Championship Series Rankings.
She was an All-American swimmer for Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, and ran track and cross country in high school. She turned pro in 1999 after placing as the second U.S. amateur at the 1997 World Championship. As a professional, Bennett has been racing on the ITU
International Triathlon Union
The International Triathlon Union or ITU is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations...
Olympic distance, draft legal racing circuit. She earned a silver medal at the World Triathlon Championships in 2003 and bronze medals in 2004, 2005, and 2007. She has also raced as a professional at the Half-Ironman distance
Ironman 70.3
An Ironman 70.3, also known as a Half Ironman, is one of a series of middle-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation . The "70.3" refers to the total distance in miles covered in the race, consisting of a swim, a bike ride, and a run...
, placing 5th at the 2009 Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
Education
Laura Bennett attended Cardinal Newman High School (West Palm Beach, Florida)Cardinal Newman High School (West Palm Beach, Florida)
Cardinal Newman High School, also commonly referred to as Cardinal Newman or simply Newman, is a Catholic coeducational secondary school located in West Palm Beach Florida, USA. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach...
where she ran track. For college, she attended Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
where she swam and pursued a finance degree. She graduated in 1997 with a BS in finance.
Early career
Bennett took up swimming at age 12, and was a distance runner in high school, where she was the Florida state champion in the mile and two mile for two years in a row. Bennett continued competitive swimming in college as a member of the swimming team at Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
. She served as a co-captain, and was a member of the 1997 NCAA champion 400 medley relay.
In 1993, she was a member of the USA Triathlon Junior National Team, and was voted the USA Triathlon and Triathlete Magazine Junior of the Year in 1994. In 1997, after completing college, she was the second U.S. amateur at the World Championship in Perth, Australia.
Professional
Bennett has competed on the ITUInternational Triathlon Union
The International Triathlon Union or ITU is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations...
racing circuit since 2001. She earned a silver medal at the World Triathlon Championships in 2003 and bronze medals in 2004, 2005, and 2007.
She first earned a spot on the Olympic team as the second alternate for the U.S. triathlon team at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, and as the first alternate in the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. At the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, she was the first American to qualify for the team, by placing first in the Beijing 2007 trials. At the games, she placed fourth with a time of 2:00:21.54.
She was selected as the 2010 Olympic/ITU Female Athlete of the Year for her consistent performances and end of season ranking during the 2010 racing season.
In 2010, the ITU
International Triathlon Union
The International Triathlon Union or ITU is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations...
first started keeping track of segment rankings to reward the best athlete in each of the three disciplines throughout the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series. Bennett ranked first in the swim rankings 2010 season.
She is currently the highest ranked American triathlete in the women's Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU
International Triathlon Union
The International Triathlon Union or ITU is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations...
World Championship Series Rankings.
ITU Competitions
The following list of Bennett's results is based upon the official ITUInternational Triathlon Union
The International Triathlon Union or ITU is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations...
rankings and the Athlete's Profile Page. Unless indicated otherwise, the events are triathlons (Olympic Distance) and belong to the Elite category.
| Date | Competition | Place | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-04-15 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Gamagori | 1 |
| 2001-04-22 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Ishigaki | 4 |
| 2001-04-28 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | St. Anthony's | 6 |
| 2001-07-07 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Toronto | 6 |
| 2002-03-31 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Geelong | 12 |
| 2002-04-02 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | St. Petersburg | 11 |
| 2002-06-09 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Gamagori | 5 |
| 2002-07-02 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Edmonton | 14 |
| 2002-07-02 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Corner Brook | 4 |
| 2002-09-08 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Hamburg | 14 |
| 2002-09-29 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Nice | 14 |
| 2002-11-09 | ITU Triathlon World Championships | Cancun | 7 |
| 2003-04-13 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Ishigaki | 6 |
| 2003-04-03 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | St. Anthonys | 1 |
| 2003-06-03 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Tongyeong | 1 |
| 2003-06-15 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Gamagori | 2 |
| 2003-07-03 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Edmonton | 3 |
| 2003-08-10 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | New York | 5 |
| 2003-10-13 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Makuhari | 9 |
| 2003-12-07 | ITU Triathlon World Championships | Queenstown | 2 |
| 2004-05-09 | ITU Triathlon World Championships | Madeira | 3 |
| 2004-09-26 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Gamagori | 9 |
| 2005-04-17 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Honolulu | 16 |
| 2005-05-15 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Ishigaki | 8 |
| 2005-07-23 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Edmonton | 4 |
| 2005-09-11 | ITU Triathlon World Championships | Gamagori | 3 |
| 2005-09-26 | ITU Duathlon World Championships | Newcastle | 6 |
| 2005-11-13 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | New Plymouth | 5 |
| 2006-03-03 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Doha | 3 |
| 2006-03-10 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Aqaba | 3 |
| 2006-04-26 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Mooloolaba | 11 |
| 2006-05-07 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Mazatlan | 9 |
| 2006-06-25 | ITU Triathlon Pan American Cup | Long Beach | 4 |
| 2006-09-03 | ITU Triathlon World Championships | Lausanne | 8 |
| 2006-09-10 | BG Triathlon World Cup | Hamburg | 3 |
| 2006-09-24 | BG Triathlon World Cup | Beijing | 4 |
| 2006-10-15 | ITU Triathlon Asian Cup | Hong Kong | 1 |
| 2006-11-05 | BG Triathlon World Cup | Cancun | 12 |
| 2006-05-02 | BG Triathlon World Cup | New Plymouth | 3 |
| 2007-06-17 | BG Triathlon World Cup | Des Moines | 1 |
| 2007-09-02 | BG Triathlon World Cup | Hamburg | 3 |
| 2007-09-16 | BG Triathlon World Cup | Beijing | 3 |
| 2007-11-04 | BG Triathlon World Cup | Cancun | 5 |
| 2008-03-30 | BG Triathlon World Cup | Moolooaba | 4 |
| 2008-06-08 | BG Triathlon World Championships | Vancouver | 22 |
| 2008-06-22 | Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon World Cup | Des Moines | 4 |
| 2008-08-19 | 2008 Summer Olympics 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events... |
Beijing | 4 |
| 2008-09-20 | ITU Triathlon Premium Pan American Cup | Portland | 4 |
| 2009-06-21 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | Washington, DC | 12 |
| 2010-06-27 | Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup | Des Moines | 14 |
| 2009-07-26 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | Hamburg | 17 |
| 2010-03-28 | ITU Triathlon World Cup | Mooloolaba | 17 |
| 2010-04-11 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | Sydney | 14 |
| 2010-06-13 | Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup | Des Moines | 6 |
| 2010-07-18 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | Hamburg | 7 |
| 2010-07-25 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | London | 5 |
| 2010-08-15 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | Kitzbuhel | 8 |
| 2010-09-12 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series, Grand Final | Budapest | 8 |
| 2010-09-25 | Premium Pan American Cup | Tuscaloosa | 1 |
| 2011-04-10 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | Sydney | 6 |
| 2011-06-05 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | Madrid | 8 |
| 2011-07-19 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | Kitzbuehel | 6 |
| 2011-08-07 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series | London | 24 |
| 2011-09-11 | Dextro Energy World Championship Series, Grand Final | Beijing | 5 |