By Bob Richards
Editor, Chicago's Amateur Athlete
     The Mrs. T's Chicago Triathlon will have a solid field of pros, some
 of them in town for their final Olympic tuneups, when the 18th annual race
 is contested along the lakefront on Sunday morning, Aug. 27.
     The ever-popular Mrs. T's also will have sunshine and another sold-out
 field of amateurs, when the world's largest triathlon gets underway at 6:30
 a.m. at Burnham Harbor.  
     The pro races will go last; the men starting at 10:15 and the women at
 10:20. They will use the same swim and bike courses as the amateurs, but
 then will switch to a special five-lap criterium-style running course. The
 pro field numbered 54 competitors as of Wednesday.  Among them was Mike
 Pigg, who has done so well here over the years.
     While additions and scratches are inevitable between now and when the
 airhorn goes off on Sunday morning, the men's field is led by U.S. Olympian
 Hunter Kemper.  The women's field is somewhat wide-open with Americans
 Sheila Taormina, Joanna Zeiger and Barb Lindquist expected to be in the
 hunt.  Taormina and Zeiger are heading to the Olympics.  Lindquist, along
 with Hunter, were crowned as national champion in Chicago last year.  Both
 hope to repeat their USA Triathlon Pro National Championships at the
 Olympic distance. Lindquist failed to qualify for the U.S. team in May.
     Lindquist actually lost to Australian Michellie Jones last year, and
 Jones is in Chicago, but may not defend her title, won by 56 seconds. It 
 appears she only will do clinics and not compete because of the Olympics 
 being so close. Other Olympians from Australia and New Zealand are here.
     As for the citizen athletes, there will be 36 waves, beginning at 6:30
 a.m. More than 5,200 athletes will compete either as individuals or as
 members of relay teams.  They will participate in either the Olympic
 distance (1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run), or the sprint distance (.75K
 swim, 22K bike, 5K run).
     The finish line will be in Grant Park at Columbus Drive, a block south
 of Balbo.  
    This story will be updated later in the week.  See related feature on
 this Web site.