TOKYO – Ten years ago, Kevin McDowell beat cancer.
On Monday at Odaiba Marine Park, he beat 43 fellow triathletes to finish sixth (1:45:54) in men’s triathlon.
“I never thought it would be possible after (certain) points, because I had such a roller coaster the last 10 years after cancer,” he said. “Actually having cancer, in a weird way, was the easiest part. … I didn’t understand how much the chemotherapy destroyed my body through it all.”
Prior to his Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis, McDowell was in position for the world junior title. Instead, doctors prodded him with needles as his competitors’ careers took off and they made their respective Olympic teams for the Rio Games in 2016, while he continued adjusting to a chemo-stricken body.
A day like Monday kept McDowell going while receiving bedside treatments, he said.
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"This is what kept me fighting," he said while still wearing the white headband that kept the sweat off of him in the Tokyo heat that reached the mid-80s, even early in the morning. "I visualized this stuff. I trained for those things. I said that one day I could be back, because that was my goal since then."
McDowell overcame a slow start in the 1,500-meter that kicked off the race and was in 47th place after the swim. He admitted afterward he thought his chances were dashed upon emerging from Tokyo Bay.
The Illinois native and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs product made up the lost ground in the biking portion (40 kilometers).
“I felt so strong on the bike," he said. "I was just kind of rolling through and patiently waiting to transition to the front.”
He caught up to the main group and executed a smooth transition into his running shoes for the triathlon's final leg, a 10-kilometer run, and moved from around 20th to fourth.
"I just was in and out. I was so calm the whole race," McDowell said. "I wasn’t stressed at all on the bike, I was so in control, even on the run. It was just a surreal experience."
By the third running lap, the 28-year-old had moved into second and even led at various checkpoints. Later, he said he could hardly believe he was near front of the pack. The medalists made their move, and McDowell couldn’t quite shift into that gear, but a max effort over the final kilometer preserved his sixth-place finish.
“First I thought I was overrunning," he said. "I was like, ‘I’m going to implode at some point, but let’s just see.’ I mean, it’s the Olympic Games, you either go for a medal or not.”
It was the best finish for an American in men's triathlete at the Olympics and the third top-10 finish in U.S. male history. Hunter Kemper had both previous top 10s, placing seventh at the 2008 Beijing Games and ninth in Athens 2004.
Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt pulled away to win gold with a time of 1:45.05, with Great Britain’s Alex Yee came in second, 11 seconds back for the silver. Hayden Wilde of New Zealand won bronze with a 1:45.24.
In May, the seven-time World Cup Triathlon medalist native placed 21st at the World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama race. It was that competition where teammate Morgan Pearson won bronze. Pearson was assessed a 15-second penalty for placing his equipment outside of the box in the swim-to-bike transition and finished 42nd (1:52:05).
McDowell and Pearson will now shift his attention to the mixed relay, which will take place Saturday. First, three U.S. women – Taylor Knibb, Summer Rappaport and Katie Zaferes – will compete Tuesday in individual triathlon.
With simultaneous watch parties occurring in Colorado Spring and Chicago on Sunday in the United States, McDowell had already received and “overwhelming amount” of support via messages from family and friends in recent weeks and days. People close to him wrote letters before he departed for Japan and opened them periodically throughout the week. He saved the final three — from his parents, sister and grandparents —for the morning of the race.
The message: race like the 10-year-old kid who refused his families’ please to take up baseball, whose dream was to make the Olympics.
McDowell qualified 36th out of 56 entries. From the Olympic Village experience to the race itself, McDowell has maintained a "no regrets" mindset.
After all he's been through, who could blame him?
"I kept saying, ‘Back yourself. Back yourself.’ Because honestly I never imagined myself coming here, vying for a medal," he said. "I was saying yesterday, top eight, I’d be over the moon, but didn’t really know if I’d do that.”
McDowell turned that doubt into personal triumph. It's not the first time he's done that in his life.
Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.
