Several

weeks ago, there was a story about a 9-year-old

triathlete from Peachtree City named Kirsten Pretzer. It

was announced that she would be competing in the IronKids

Bread Triathlon National Championships in San Antonio,

Texas. That meet is this weekend and it will be televised

The

triathlon is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Sunday, Sept.

12 and will be at Palo Alto College. The meet consists of

a 100-meter pool swim, a 5K bike ride, and a 1K run for

boys and girls 7-10. Senior division competitors, ages

11-14, swim 200 meters, bike 10 kilometers, and run two

kilometers.

Pretzer is

among four other triathletes from Georgia competing in

the race. This year's series has attracted more children

than ever before, because the event has earned Olympic

status and will be a full medal sport in the 2000

Olympics.

In fact,

past IronKids Triathlon champions Nick Radkewich (1985)

and Hunter Kemper (1989) are top contenders for the 2000

Olympic team, while past champion Lance Armstrong is

considered one of the world's best cyclists.