Soccer | 7/17/2023 3:49:00 PM

DENTON, Texas (July 17, 2023) – On Sunday, greeted by slightly cooler temperatures, over 400 participants gathered on the campus of Texas Woman's University to participate in the 16th annual Pioneer Power Sprint Triathlon and 5K.

Temperatures have been in the triple digits for the past several weeks, but participants on Sunday enjoyed showcasing their physical and mental strength in temperatures which hovered around 80 degrees.

The Pioneer Power Sprint, produced by Dallas Athletes Racing, took place to raise money for the TWU Soccer program.

"We were excited to host another great Pioneer Power Sprint this year," TWU Head Soccer Coach Babak Abouzar said. "I am so glad the weather held off just long enough for us to finish the race. It is always an incredible experience to watch the athletes cross the finish line with their friends and family cheering them on."

The day began at 6 a.m. with the sprint triathlon participants diving into the pool for their 200-yard swim to start the competition at the Pioneer Hall Pool. After the swim, participants jumped on their bikes for the 16.3-mile bike ride along Highway 428. The sprint triathlon culminated with a 3.1 mile run around TWU's campus, and athletes crossed the finish line in front of Hubbard Hall.

While the triathlon was taking place, participants in the 5K run or walk also enjoyed competing on the course around the campus of TWU.

At the finish line, all participants were met with a chorus of cheers, presented with a medal and invited to partake in the post-race fun, including breakfast foods and other snacks.

The triathlon event featured individuals, teams (three members whose times of all three segments were added together) and relay participants (individuals who each competed in one leg of the event).

In the Pioneer Power Sprint Triathlon, the top female finisher was Debra Brick, who completed all three events in 1:18:23.3. The top male finisher, with an overall time of 1:04:28.5, was Zachary Smith, whose time also stood as the fastest overall time.

Awards were also given based on age groups. The top overall Master's (40-59) male finisher was Russell Burke (1:07:03.4), and the top overall Master's (40-54) female finisher was Joanna Funkhouser (1:24:39).

In the Grand Master's division, the top overall Grand Master's (60+) male finisher was Jim Lukanich (1:15:56.8), and the top overall Grand Master's (55+) female finisher was Kuay Sullivan (1:30:35.8).

The sprint triathlon also featured relay teams. The top coed relay team was Team Phillips, comprised of Mark Phillips, Marcy Phillips and Steve Phillips. Team Phillips finished in a total of 1:39:16.9.

In the team category, the top overall coed team was the Beauty and The Beasts, which tallied a final score of 142. The top female team, Wait for US, posted a final score of 314.

The 5K run/walk featured 127 participants. Jaxson Hart was the top overall finisher and top male finisher with a time of 18:22.8, and Jadyn Jaeger was the top female finisher with a time of 23:56.3.  

The top three individual finishers for 14 various age groups were also awarded in the triathlon and 5K and the full list can be viewed here.

"We are so thankful for everyone who participated in this amazing event," Abouzar said. "We appreciate the support from our participants, generous sponsors and vendors. This event always has an incredible impact on our program. We hope to see everyone at our games this fall and at next year's event."

TWU kicks off its first home event of the 2023 season on August 31 at 7 p.m. at Pioneer Soccer Park.