SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, Va. - The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Triathlon Team qualified to 2023 Nationals with a second-place finish in the East Regional. 

Sabrina Fleig and Eliska Rihova led the way for the Bears as the pair finished first and second respectively amongst all Division II participants. Fleig barely edged out her teammate by two tenths of a second with a time of 58:59.3, while Rihova finished with a time of 58:59.5. 

In part of her Division II-best time, Fleig dominated the running portion of the event with a 17:40 posting, good enough for third fastest time amongst all participants at the event. 

Despite coming in second, Rihova had two Top 10 times in unique events. For the biking portion, the sophomore recorded a fifth best time of 28:38, as for the running portion, she had an eighth best finish of 18:26. 

Freshman Zoila Sicilia was the third-fastest Bear with a time of 1:00:56.1. Her best leg came in the running portion of the event with a 18:44 second result. 

Senior Sayti Plank finished in ninth place amongst Division II participants thanks to a time of 1:01:35.6. Meanwhile, Nanette Nikolajsen just missed out on the Top 10 with a 11th place finish of 1:01:45.3. 

Claudia Teran-Romagosa, who ended with a time of 1:02:28.7, recorded the 18th fastest time in the swimming portion of the event with a 10:20 result. 

Wingate won this year's event after placing four participants in the top six. This result marks the second consecutive year the Bears finished with a second-place finish at the East Regional.  

TEAM RESULTS:
1. Wingate - 503
2. Lenoir-Rhyne - 495
3. Emmanuel - 263
4. American International - 194
5. Newberry - 183
6. King - 149
7. Roberts Wesleyan - 89
8. St. Thomas Aquinas - 72

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:

UP NEXT: The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Triathlon Team will travel to Tempe, Az. for Nationals on Saturday, Nov. 11.