Interesting.
Not making the steeple Oly team in 24' then trying for tri's 4 years later. Like going for the kiss, getting slapped, then asking for sex.
It's not impossible but Morgan Pearson is the only success story (for america) but he's very handsome so got sex right away. Morgan is the success story for the running purists that have tried to switch over. L. Verzbicus was a not a running purist.
Other notables were Alan Webb. Also 1500 Trials finalist / 5k road record holder (13:35) Greg Whitely tried before Webb.
It is just a huge amount of time with NO money just to make an Oly team. Prize list for ITU WTS races (top level) is abysmal. They pay next to nothing and only to the top 10 out of fields that are 50 - 70 deep. It's a money pit, career wise and time wise, and I doubt Quigley would have the same contract she has a runner only. Tri shoe deals are watered down greatly. It's a lot of mediocre sponsor deals, light on money, heavy of free gear and swag, with some incentive bonuses. The life (grind) for triathletes is basically going around the world, chasing qualifying points for the oly cycle, and going broke doing it. All that airfare money, and extra charges for bike boxes. It's non-stop blood letting of money that is not covered for most. triathletes have to break down and build up there bikes every race. They do it all themselves. It is not glamorous.
It's a blue collar path to get into the olympics. blood, sweat, bike grease everywhere, and terrible travel experiences all the time (missing bags / bikes /fights at airports in various countries). A triathlete would dream of just bringing a couple pairs of running shoes!
USAT covers some for the top 3 hopefuls (gold, silver, bronze funding levels) but these funding levels are bleak even for the top hopefuls. Nobody is making a retirement egg unless you are the very best. Support is enough to get you around to chase points, but to a limit. You will have to pay YOURSELF to race more and that is a must if you are low on ranking points.
Quigley would be below that level of support. Burning cash, trying to get a pittance in support from USAT and whatever she could convince companies of from her running only background. She can get product deals easy. Not deals that pay money and certainly not a salary. That does not exist in triathlon.