By TIM FRANZEN

timothy.franzen@gaflnews.com

CORDELE— Athletes from around the Southeast participated in a USA Triathlon (USAT) sanctioned event Saturday here at Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park.

Participants in the triathlon were required to swim half a mile in Lake Blackshear, bike through mild hilly conditions along the lake and inside the park for 13.6 miles, then finish with a 5 kilometer run. Biathlon competitors participated by running and biking.

Among the top finishers in the swimming and biking male age group 45-49 was Peter Donnan of Pitts who finished 13th.

Kara White from Cordele in the 14 and under age group finished first completing the half mile swim in nine minutes and seven seconds, and the biking portion of the event in 56 minutes and nine seconds.

Dale Lawson of Cordele finished first in the female age group 40-44 swimming the half mile in 11 minutes 29 seconds and finishing the 13.6 miles in the biking portion of the competition in 41 minutes and 59 seconds.

In the female age group 45 to 49, Lisa Leggett of Cordele finished first completing the swimming in ten minutes and one second and the biking portion of the race in 42 minutes and 19 seconds. Melissa Hall, also of Cordele finished fourth with a half mile swim time in 14 minutes and 29 seconds and the 13.6 mile bike ride in 47 minutes and 13 seconds.

Top duathlon finishers in running and biking were Brian Waters and Brian Genter, both of Marietta. Tom Dawson from Hawkinsville finished 16th overall.

In the female competition, Collen Coleman of Warner Robins finished first followed by Marguerite McCauley from Tallahassee, FL. Kathy Bradford who lives in Arabi, came in sixth completing the running portion in 29 minutes and 29 seconds. Following a transfer time of one minute 47 seconds, she completed her 13.6 mile bike ride in 52 minutes and 31 seconds.

Overall male duathlon finishers in swimming and biking were Kiko Cintron, of Tallahassee, FL. and Matthew Garnto of Milledgeville. Josh Fix of Albany finished third.

Georgia Multisports productions, LLC directed the duathlon and triathlon which were sponsored locally by the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce, Southland Ford-Ashburn, Southland Dodge Chrysler Jeep- Cordele and Stripling’s General Store.