Wake Forest Athletics
USOC Athlete Spotlight: Hunter Kemper
4/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
April 7, 2006
By Russell Carlton
Courtesy of USOC Media and Public Relations
It wasn't necessarily a grueling climb to the top for Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.), it was more like 13 races of a demanding .9 mile swim, 24.8 mile bike and a 6.2 mile run for the 2005 No. 1 ranked triathlete in the world.
By the second race of the 2005 season, Kemper had positioned himself to finish as the first-ever U.S. male triathlete to end a season as the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Cup rankings leader. On Nov. 13, 2005, as he stepped to the start line of the last race of the season, he would need to fend off Australia's Brad Kahlefeldt and Great Britain's Tim Don as both men had a chance to capture Kemper's No. 1 position. Kemper finished the race in fourth place, ahead of both Kahlefeldt and Don, officially finishing the season as the world's No. 1 triathlete.
"It was kind of one of those things where you have to pinch yourself," said Kemper. "I would lie in bed with my wife and I would just be like, `can you believe it? Can you believe I am No. 1 in the world?' It was pretty cool. I think it just showed my consistency throughout the whole year. I was pretty excited."
In his 13 races, he finished on the podium 10 times, including five first-place finishes. Kemper has been remarkably constant since he turned pro in the middle of the 1998 season as well. Though his No. 1 world ranking is new for him, dominating the U.S. rankings is not. Since 1999, Kemper has finished every season ranked the No. 1 U.S. male triathlete.
"I used to enjoy that [being the top U.S. male] and feel like I was the big fish in the small pond almost," said Kemper. "The past couple of years, I have tried to make the transformation as far as `been there, done that.' I want to try to be the best in the world."
If 2005 was any indication, he may be well on his way to being the best in the world. But Kemper is quick to point out that retaining his ITU rankings will not be an all-consuming goal of his for 2006. In the world of triathlon, a lot of factors need to fall into exact alignment to win races, especially on a consistent basis. About 10-15 of the top triathletes can win a race on any given day, making for strict competition.
"I look at this year as more of a stepping stone from 2005, but I don't want to say that I have to do as well as I did last year," said Kemper. "I think it could be quite difficult, but if it happens, great. If not, then that's okay too."
But by no means does that mean he will not be striving to be the best.
"I think this year I would like to end the year No. 1," said Kemper. "It's not one of my main goals so much this year, but it's definitely something I am shooting for, I will definitely keep on trying to plug away and get there."
What really motivates Kemper for the current season is a podium spot at the ITU World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, Sept. 2. The 2005 World Championships were by far his worst race of 2005, finishing in 41st place, and one of his worst finishes since turning pro. But like any true champion, adversity will be encountered throughout a professional career. It's how they respond that will define them in the eyes of the public.
One week after the World Championships, a resilient Kemper raced to a first-place finish at an ITU World Cup event held in Beijing, China. The event was run on what will be the 2008 Olympic Games triathlon course. After disappointment, Kemper was able to find optimism for his ultimate long term goal - an Olympic medal.
The triathlon made its Olympic debut in 2000, and so did Kemper. Finishing 17th in Sydney, Australia, and ninth in Athens, Greece, he was the top U.S. finisher in both races.
"I definitely want to be on the podium and I definitely think I can do that," Kemper said. "When I finished the year No. 1 in the world last year, I started realizing I can race with these guys on a consistent basis and that I'm one of the best in the world. I can improve upon my ninth place finish in Athens."
Kemper takes nothing for granted and knows that first things first, he will need to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Team. And though his ultimate goal is Olympic gold, he does not downplay the significance of an Olympic medal period.
"My ultimate dream is to win a medal at the Olympics. I would love for it to be gold, but I hope to some day have some sort of medal from the Olympics, I mean that's my ultimate goal."
And because triathlon is a participatory sport, Kemper is quick to realize the impact that an American gold medalist in the Olympic Games could do for the sport, displaying a genuine interest in the future of not only himself, but his sport as well.
"For me to win a medal would be huge. Not only would it be huge, but I think if I was able to win a gold medal, I think it would be huge for our sport," said Kemper. "Just because I think it would really elevate our sport to another level. We are not one of the mainstream sports, and an Olympics Games medal by an American is key. It would really promote our sport."
While triathlon as a sport may be ready for the next level, so seems Hunter Kemper. Recently named as the United States Olympic Committee's 2005 Sportsman of the Year, look for Kemper atop many podiums in 2006, 2007, and hopefully in 2008 you can find him standing on top of the podium in Beijing, receiving the first U.S. Olympic medal for a male triathlete. That wouldn't be a grueling climb whatsoever; just a very rewarding swim, bike and run.
