About Sara...
2007 is Sara McLarty's third year as a professional triathlete. She lives and trains at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as a USA Triathlon National Team Member and is coached by Cliff English.
As a member of the McLarty family, Sara was introduced to sports at a young age. She joined the local YMCA swim team at four years old and competed in her first triathlon at seven years old. She took to both sports with a passion and won numerous awards as a youthful competitor, the most indicative of her future being 4-time IronKids Triathlon National Champion from 1993-96.
In 1996, she entered DeLand High and immediately became the secret weapon of the swimming, cross country, and track teams. Sara won a state title in the 200 yard Individual Medley (IM) in her final Florida High School State Competition. At about the same time, she announced her intention to sign with the Lady Gators Swim and Dive team coached by Gregg Troy at the University of Florida.
From 2000 to 2004 Sara racked up 15 NCAA All-American awards, four individual SEC Conference titles, one SEC Team Championship, and was 2004 NCAA Florida Woman of the Year. She graduated with honors In December of 2004, earning a degree in Telecommunications from the College of Journalism.
The conclusion of Sara’s collegiate swim career coincided with the 2004 USA Olympic Team Trials where she finished fourth in the 400 meter freestyle. Although fourth place does not qualify for the Olympic Team, it did qualify Sara for two swimming World Championships where she won a silver medal at the SCM World Championships in the 400m free, and a bronze medal at Open Water World Champs in the 5-kilometer swim.
After competing in a few swimming World Cup events in New Jersey, South Africa, and Mexico, Sara decided it was time to ‘go pro’ in the sport of triathlon. The next step being to earn a living doing what she loves and does so well. The thin air of Colorado appeared to be a breeding ground for top American triathletes and inspired Sara to join the resident program at the Olympic Training Center. Sara began her pro career with non-drafting races, small Continental Cups, and the Under-23 World Championships in 2005. A few good finishes at those races earned her the USA Triathlon “Rookie of the Year” award.
Moving to the World Cup venue in 2006, Sara began with a record setting 16:30 for the 1500 meter swim at the Japan World Cup. The year included three Top-3 finishes at ITU Continental Cups (including 2nd place at the USA Elite National Championships), and three Top-20 finishes at World Cups. She continued to compete at non-drafting races and recorded a 3rd place at the Escape from Alcatraz that generated more than 15-minutes of National TV air-time.
Commencing in 2007, Sara is now in the two-year process of training and qualifying for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. With the help of a great support group — USAT, the USOC, and her sponsors — Sara is developing into a tri-sport-athlete. By mid-June, most of Sara's goals for the '07 season are accomplished, including Top-10 finishes at World Cups, qualifying for the Pan American Games Team, and improving her 10K run time.
And what are some of Sara's other interests? In her own words...
"Outside the competitive world of triathlon, I have a passion to introduce a healthy lifestyle to the next generation of Americans. I am starting my third year as the IronKids Triathlon spokes-person…an opportunity that is very close to my heart. I first discovered my love for this sport of triathlon 16 years ago when I was an IronKids National Champion. I’m also putting my Journalism degree to work and writing a column for youth athletes in the USA Triathlon Life magazine. I look forward to communicating with lots of future Olympians in each publication. Make sure you look for my post-race ‘Elite Updates’ on the USA Triathlon website and get the inside scoop on the world of top American elite triathletes!”
CertificationsUSA Triathlon – Pro/Elite |
2007 GoalsQualify for Pan-Am Games |
University of Florida Swimming Biography
Sara's International Triathlete Union Athlete Profile 2007 PDF
