Sudbury Triathlete Falls Short in Olympic Trials

Sudbury native Jarrod Shoemaker, a 2008 Olympian, fell short in his quest to make the 2012 U.S. Olympic team as the triathlete finished a disappointing 24th Saturday at the ITU World Triathlon San Diego.

"Unfortunately, Jarrod did not qualify for the Olympics this past Saturday. It is a real disappointment for Jarrod," his agent, Michael O'Neil, told Sudbury Patch in an email. "This is the unforgiving side of sports — on one day, someone else has the race of their life and the expected Olympians don't make the team."

O'Neil said Shoemaker was not available for comment.

"I think we will skip a comment at this point ... I want to give Jarrod time to digest the disappointment," O'Neil said.

On Sept. 16, 2007, Shoemaker qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics by defeating 2005 International Triathlon Union World No. 1 Hunter Kemper and two-time ITU World Cup winner Andy Potts. He was featured on the Wheaties Box in 2008 for his Olympic qualification feat.

At the 2008 Olympics, Shoemaker finished 18th. He became world champion in duathlon in 2009 in Concord, N.C.

The 2012 London Olympics will run from July 27 to Aug. 12.