More than 3,000 athletes representing 75 different countries were in Edmonton, Canada to tackle a triathlon course at the Aquathlon World Championships, part of the ITU World Triathlon Series Grand Final. Smithville’s own Joseph Trapp competed in the Men’s age group 30-34 in the event on Aug. 27, during Wave 3 in Hawrelak Park. Trapp teaches private swim lessons at the Smithville Golf Club pool, along with working as a recreation professional at J’bees Watercraft/Canoe the Caney located in Silver point.

"Trapp came in strong and reported one of the world’s top swim times for the 750 meter swim and ran the first leg of the race but struggled through the last portion of the run to due severe jet lag" Team USA trainer Agatha Elizabeth Shoemauck said. "Later we came to find out that Joseph did not report a finish time for results. Investigations reported that there was a time error malfunction in the chip that was attached to his right leg. Sometime between the transition point to the last leg of the race, the chip around his right ankle did not register through to the finish line and no results were reported. This was a huge disappointment to him and there were more reports of the same problem happening to athletes from other countries competing in the sprint and long distance races. When talking to the organizing committee, there was nothing they could do and it was an automatic disqualification. It did not seem to affect him due to his award winning attitude."

"I finished strong and did complete the race," Trapp said. "It was disappointing at first but other fellow athletes in the fast lane said it happens. While eating brunch with two friends who were athletes from Brazil, who raced in 2012 Olympic trials, they said the same thing happened to them and they did not get to go to the Olympics due to technical errors not working efficiently. I did get a chance to look at my swim time, and I had a seventh place world ranking for the 750 meter swim for the 30-34 age group. I cut six minutes off my swim time from the 2011 Aquathon World Championships and three minutes off the run time from Beijing, China. It was an incredible feat and dramatic improvement considering the situation."

"How could a person be disappointed after getting to race with the world’s best athletes from 50 different countries," he continued "Walking in the opening ceremonies carrying the flag while bag pipes, salutes, and jets were flying over as we all gather walking in downtown, Edmonton, leading the Royal Lifeguard team, being featured by millions of viewers across the world on international television, paddling across each wave with all athletes from age group to the Olympians watching them as they complete the race."

"After the opening ceremonies, during the warm up, something dramatic happened. All athletes fled to my side, crushing the sense of disappointment of what had happened. They all gathered around me and we started training for the 2016 ITU Grand Final in Chicago in September of 2015. I had made friends with thousands of the world’s best athletes and became friends with every one of them. While during the warm up swim, I cried and tears filled my goggles. After getting out of the water to get ready to go on duty and get into the patrol boat I was approached by media, camera’s and reporters. I told the media that it happens in world sports. I told the media and organizers from Chicago after getting out of the lake from practice, that I will remain in the Team USA Program for the next two years after completing the process and keeping my spot on the National Team to begin training and competing for the 2015 ITU World Grand Final in Chicago in Sept. 2015."

When asked if he will be going to the summer Olympics, Trapp said no. "I had no desire to go to the summer Olympics, but had the goal in mind to continue my quest within the next year or two to become a world champion and get the title for the Aquathlon. I will be in training for the 2015 ITU Grand Final in Chicago and will compete in the world premiere of the RCP Open Water sprint classic in the elite group for the $10,000 cash prize and cup in California that is televised in Fox News."