Thirteen sponsors are breathing a sigh of relief after para-triathlete and U.S. Army veteran Melissa Stockwell finally qualified for the Rio Games on Friday after a stressful wait. Stockwell, believed to be the U.S. Olympic or Paralympic athlete with the most endorsement deals, was issued a special invitation by the Int'l Triathlon Union on Friday. Stockwell is the fourth-ranked athlete in the world in her impairment class, but countries were limited to two team members in the initial qualifying round. The top two worldwide spots are held by Rio-bound Americans Hailey Danisewicz and Allysa Seely. Stockwell was among 17 para-triathletes chosen specially by the governing body to join the field. Prior to the announcement, triathlon insiders were not certain her high ranking would necessarily lead to a last-ditch invite, because organizers want to diversify country participation. Stockwell's sponsors include BP, Deloitte, Smuckers, Chobani, USG, Procter & Gamble, Trek, Under Armour, Ralph Lauren, KT Tape, Sleep Number, Wintrust Bank and Budweiser. The selection triggers incentive clauses in some of her deals, said her agent, Patrick Quinn of Chicago Sports & Entertainment Partners. But generally speaking, her contracts already accounted for the risk of her not making the team. The real upside is possibility of medaling. “If she wins a medal, that for her would be hugely monetized,” he said. “Realistically, if she wins a medal, I would say it’s probably worth half a million dollars to her in the following year." Stockwell lost her leg to a roadside bomb while serving in Iraq in '04. She is also a mother and a highly regarded public speaker. The Paralympic triathlon is set for Sept. 11 in Rio.
COMPANIES HAD PLAN B READY: Quinn said some sponsors had a “Plan B” ready to go had Stockwell not qualified, including Chobani, which released a series of ads featuring Stockwell and other Rio-bound athletes late last week. BP Head of U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Programs George Bauernfeind called it a “great day for Melissa." "After years of hard work and dedication, we were thrilled to hear that Melissa qualified for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games,” he wrote in an email. "BP has been committed to supporting Melissa as she continues to train and pursue her Paralympic dreams, and we can’t wait to see her compete on September 11 in Rio."
