Spring 2015 Issue

She's a Natural

By Jim Ducibella

Illustration by Mona Daly

Emma Langley ’17 decided to take off what would have been the first semester of her sophomore year after she was offered the opportunity to compete in three world championship triathlon races in September. • Last April, Langley found out that she had earned a spot on Team USA to compete in the Short Course World Championships, the Long Course World Championships and the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Qualifying for such events is a remarkable achievement for someone who was a varsity swimmer in high school and who didn’t begin training for her first triathlon until her senior year. • Langley won her age group at the Long Course Championships and placed second during the Short Course Championships. At the Ironman race, Langley finished fifth among American women ages 18-24 and 17th overall in that age group. She was the youngest American competitor. • With her next scheduled race not until March in Puerto Rico, Langley returned to William & Mary for the spring semester and resumed life as a kinesiology student, continuing as a member of the university’s club cycling and club swimming teams.