Courtesy Williams Sports Information

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Lauren Goldstein-Kral of Shaker Heights, OH, and Williams College is among 10 of the United States' top up-and-coming triathletes who will compete against the world's rising multi-sport stars at the International University Sports Federation's (FISU) 10th-annual World University Championships, set for Sunday, May 30 in Valencia, Spain.

The draft-legal, Olympic-distance race features a 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run. Draft-legal means that it is permissible for a competitor to proceed directly behind someone in an effort to gain an advantage by conserving energy. Weaker swimmers and cyclists utilize this tactic by finding the toes or wheels of other athletes to maintain a faster pace during the swimming and cycling portions.

"The World University Championships is a great opportunity for our emerging elites to test themselves on the international stage. We can expect first-rate competition from the Europeans, and Japan always sends a highly energized collegiate squad," said Steve Kelley, USAT's athlete development coordinator, who will accompany the team to Spain. "The local organizers have designed a technically challenging course around a beautiful coastal venue."

Goldstein is no stranger to the big stage nationally and internationally in the triathlon as she was a member of the 2008 FISU team, member of the USAT Project 2016 squad, finished seventh at the 2009 USAT Elite National Championship and was 12th at the ITU Under-23 World Championship last year.

Lauren Goldstein-Kral competes for the Ephs in cross-country, swimming and outdoor track. Last fall she was a member of the Eph cross-country team that finished 8th at the NCAA Division III Championships and the women's swimming & diving team that finished 3rd nationally. She finished 83rd at the NCAA Championships in a field 220+ competitors, completing the 5K course in 23:47.6 (4th Eph finisher).

Veteran Eph cross country coach Pete Farwell is impressed with Goldstein-Kral's ability to manage a demanding academic and athletic schedule to be ready to compete in the triathlon events nationally and abroad. "Lauren trains diligently in all three of her pursuits, is self-directed, great at time management and unpretentious," stated Farwell. "In running she has great pacing ability and is especially strong at threshold level work (corresponding to the 10k running distance of the triathlon). She ran three 10k's for us this spring track, each faster than the preceding." Her 38:43.96 at the ECAC Championships this month was her best effort this spring.

"Lauren is a steady competitor and an athlete who attends to detail and is always looking for ways to improve," continued Farwell. "Obviously to compete through all four seasons of the year and do so well academically at Williams is a huge challenge, and her success at all levels is evident."

Eph head swimming coach Steve Kuster echoes Farwell's observations noting, "Lauren's willingness to work hard is impressive. She has the ability to maintain a good pace for a long time. The longer the race the better she does."

Goldstein-Kral's best time in the 1650 Freestyle this past winter was 18:11.65.