After overcoming injuries, kinesiology senior Spencer Shellberg and third-year veterinary student Elaine Sheikh have both qualified to run for Team USA.
Sheikh qualified for Team USA in 2015 and will compete for them again this year on Sept. 15 and 19.
In order to qualify, the athlete has to place in the top 20 for his or her age group at one of the national championship races.
Sheikh sprained her ankle the week before competing in 2015 and was unable to perform to the best of her ability. She hopes to improve from last year, with a healed ankle this time.
Her experience as a triathlete began her sophomore year of undergraduate school at Grand Valley State University. She had been running for a year and was looking to try something new.
After being impressed by the MSU team at a race she attended, she was eager to begin racing with them when she was accepted to MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Sheikh described her time with her team as a learning experience both for her athletic ability and her ability to accept and appreciate the differences in the way others train.
“Even though there are other people who may not train exactly the same way you do, you can be friends and you can enjoy doing something you love together,” Sheikh said. “Some people take it way more seriously than others do, and that’s OK. It’s not going to mean the same thing to everyone.”
In 2014 she was scouted out for team Orthopedic Associates of Michigan, or OAM, and NOW athletic mentors, one of the top multi-sport armature teams in the state.
Sheikh was selected not only because of her improvement in scores through the past two seasons, but ultimately because she was both a talented athlete and personable, good person, she said.
“It’s really important for athletes on our team to not only be good athletes, but to be good representatives of the sport,” Sheikh said.
This sponsorship has provided her private coaching, financial support and the opportunity to race, as well as volunteer at other races and at triathlon clinics for kids.
Shellberg had his own unique experience with Team USA.
He was a competitive runner in high school, but multiple injuries prevented him from running in college.
Refusing to completely abandon something he loved, Shellberg discovered the MSU Triathlon Club during his freshman year, which combined his love for running with his desire to explore other sports.
He joined with a little bit of biking experience, but said he “couldn’t swim a single lap.”
The team was an excellent source of encouragement and helped him improve his swimming and stay motivated, Shellberg said.
He qualified for Team USA and raced for them in September 2015.
“Being able to wear the Team USA uniform with USA across your chest is pretty awesome,” Shellberg said.
Shellberg is also sponsored by Trigger Point Performance. They support him through products, education and uniforms.
Overall, he said he considers his experience with MSU Triathlon Club to be one of the best parts of his college experience.
“You never know if something brand new will open,” Shellberg said. “I never thought that going into triathlons I would meet so many amazing people, getting to try a brand new sport, learning so much and having all of these different opportunities and being able to travel.”
MSU Triathlon Club holds six optional practices every week and works toward competing at the collegiate national championship level.
