Andy Potts

Andrew Robert Potts (born December 28, 1976) is a triathlete from the United States.[1] He competed in triathlon at the 2004 Summer Olympics and is the 2007 Ironman 70.3 World Champion.[2][3] Prior to triathlon, Potts was a swimmer where he won the bronze medal in the men's 400m individual medley at the 1995 Summer Universiade[4] and earned a spot on the USA Swimming national team where he would place fourth at the 1996 Olympic Trials in the 400 IM.[5]

Andy Potts
Andy Potts at 2013 Ironman 70.3 Eagleman
Personal information
Born (1976-12-28) December 28, 1976
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight175 lb (79 kg)
Sport
Country United States
SportTriathlon
Event(s)Triathlon

Personal

Raised in Princeton, New Jersey, Potts graduated from Princeton High School in 1995.[6]

While attending school at Michigan, Potts met his future wife, Lisa Simes, who was a member of the University of Michigan gymnastics teams. Simes was an acrobat for the Cirque du Soleil show, O, in Las Vegas.[7] The two married on June 30, 2004. They have a son, Boston Thomas Potts and a daughter, Sloane Potts.[8]

Career

Potts graduated from the University of Michigan in 2000 with a B.A. in English and a secondary teaching certificate. At Michigan, he swam for the Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving team from 1995 to 1999, serving as team captain for the 1998–99 season. Potts was a six-time NCAA All-American swimmer while at Michigan and a two-time Big 10 individual champion. He was also a member of the Michigan track team in 1999–2000.[9]

2003-2006

Potts began competing as a professional triathlete in 2003 and was named USA Triathlon Rookie of the Year. He was also the only athlete to break into the Top 100 World Rankings as a rookie.[10] Potts competed at the second Olympic triathlon at the 2004 Summer Olympics after only participating in the sport of triathlon for 22 months.[11] He placed twenty-second with a total time of 1:55:36.47.[2] In 2005 and 2006, Potts competed in a variety ITU Triathlon World Cup races, accumulating a number of top three podium finishes and finished out the 2006 year ranked third in the world.[12][13] Potts was recognized as USAT Triathlete of The Year in 2006.[14]

2007-2009

In 2007, Potts won the triathlon event at the 2007 Pan American Games.[15] Later that year, Potts would win the 2007 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Clearwater, Florida, with a time of 3:42:33.[16] On June 27, 2010, Potts captured his first career Ironman Triathlon win in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, with a winning time of 8:24:40.[17] His best finish at the Ironman World Championship is a 7th-place finish at the 2009 Championships.[18] He was recognized again as USAT Triathlete of The Year in 2007 and 2008.[14]

2010

After finishing the swim in 2nd place, Potts took the lead on the bike and finished Ironman Coeur d'Alene with a strong 1st-place finish.[19] In the fall, he set a new course record at Ironman Cozumel with a 2:52:19 marathon, the fastest time of the day.[20] Andy Potts earned victories at Ironman 70.3 New Orleans and Ironman 70.3 (Boulder), and at Ironman 70.3 Timberman in Gilford, NH, he earned his third victory in as many attempts.[21][22][23]

2011

In 2011 Potts had several successful performances at the half-ironman distance, including first-place finishes at Ironman 70.3 Florida in Disney World, FL, Ironman 70.3 California in Oceanside, CA, and Ironman 70.3 Vineman in Santa Rosa, CA.[24][25][26] He also earned victories at Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon and CapTex Triathlon in Austin, TX.[27][28]

2012

In 2012, Andy Potts won the Ironman 70.3 California triathlon in Oceanside, CA for the fourth time. Later that year, Potts took first in Ironman 70.3 St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Potts is considered the winningest male ever to compete in the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon, after having won the event for the 5th time in June 2012. Later in the year, Potts also won Ironman Lake Placid in Lake Placid, NY, Ironman 70.3 Austin in Austin, TX, and Ironman 70.3 Branson. In 2012, he accomplished his best performance to date at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii with a 7th-place finish as the first American.[29][30]

2013

Andy Potts won the Ironman 70.3 California triathlon in Oceanside, CA for the fifth time, edging out Jesse Thomas by 10 seconds. Potts also took first in Ironman 70.3 Eagleman, in Cambridge Maryland. Potts was the first repeat winner at Ironman Lake Placid, winning by 5 minutes over Daniel Fontana.

2014

Andy Potts won the Ironman Coeur d'Alene 140.6 On June 29, with a time of 8:25:44, edging Viktor Zyemtsev by less than three minutes.

He finished fourth at the 2014 Ironman World Championship in Kona, HI on October 10, 2014 in a time of 08:21:38.

2015

Potts began his season at the inaugural Challenge Dubai with a 12th-place finish, which was a result of a penalty that occurred during the bike leg. At Ironman Oceanside 70.3, Potts earned a silver medal finishing 2nd to the reigning Oceanside champion Jan Frodeno. Potts has since put together 1st, 2nd, 1st-place finishes at New Orleans 70.3, Texas 70.3, and Chattanooga 70.3 respectively.

Potts won the Ironman Coeur d'Alene 140.6 on June 28, with a time of 8:20:35.

2016

Potts won the Ironman Canada 140.6 on July 24, with a time of 8:20:23.[31]

References

  1. Cohen, Arianne (20 September 2008). "The Making of an Olympian". Popular Science. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  2. "Triathlon - Men Results". Yahoo!. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  3. "World Championship 70.3 2007 Results". World Triathlon Corporation. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  4. "400-Meter Individual Medley Results". HickokSports.com. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  5. "Andy Potts gets a second chance". Slowtwitch.com. 17 June 2003. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  6. Alden, Bill. "PHS Alum Potts Finds Direction In Triathlon; Now Aims to Soar at Athens Summer Games", Town Topics (newspaper), July 21, 2004. Accessed August 5, 2014. "After completing a stellar swimming career at the University of Michigan, Andy Potts found himself drifting. Working as a sales representative for a payroll company in Chicago in 2002, the Princeton High alum lacked clear direction for the first time in his life.... As a kid growing up in Princeton, Potts focused his efforts on becoming a top swimmer.... After graduating from PHS in 1995, Potts went to the University of Michigan where he quickly established himself as one of the top swimmers in the Big 10."
  7. "Artist Information: Lisa Simes". Cirque Tribune. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2015-02-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. Rohan, Tim (23 June 2011). "Swimmer diversifies into Olympic triathlete". Philly.com. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  10. "Andy Potts Bio". NBC Universal. Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  11. Rohan, Tom (29 June 2011). "Potts found new adventure in triathlon competition". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  12. "Andy Potts Results". International Triathlon Union. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  13. "Andy Potts Bio". International Triathlon Union. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  14. http://www.facebook.com/AndyPottsRacing/info
  15. Davies, Gareth (15 July 2007). "Potts wins PanAm Games". International Triathlon Union. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  16. "World Championship 70.3". World Triathlon Corporation. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13.
  17. "Ironman Coeur d'Alene Results Book" (PDF). Ironman Coeur d'Alene. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  18. "World Championship 2008 Results". World Triathlon Corporation. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  19. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Potts_Corbin_tops_at_IM_CDA__1414.html
  20. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Potts_Van_Vlerken_take_Cozumel_1815.html
  21. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Potts_and_Warriner_rule_NOLA_1304.html
  22. http://www.slowtwitch.com/Features/ROHTO_Boulder_70.3_winners_1707.html
  23. http://www.slowtwitch.com/Features/2010_Timberman_70.3_1712.html
  24. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Potts_Snow_take_Florida_70.3__2066.html
  25. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Potts_Carfrae_take_Oceanside_1979.html
  26. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Potts_Rollison_take_Vineman_70.3_2205.html
  27. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/A_2011_Philly_Tri_gallery__2155.html
  28. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/It_s_Potts_and_Haskins_in_Austin_2098.html
  29. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-01-29. Retrieved 2013-02-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  30. http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Potts_McBride_take_70.3_Austin_3199.html
  31. http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/canada/results.aspx?rd=20160724&race=canada&bidid=3&detail=1#axzz4I4dTtRi5
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