COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (BRAIN) — USA Triathlon has announced its 2014 Elite Triathletes of the Year. Selected by the National Governing Body’s Athlete Advisory Council, the 13 honorees represent all categories of triathlon competition, from Olympic to elite paratriathlete.
“2014 was a year full of great performances by U.S. elite athletes. It seems that each year our athletes turn in better and better performances,” said Joel Rosinbum, chair of the USA Triathlon athlete advisory council. “In the end we selected a group of athletes whose incredible performances make them stand out as the very best our country has to offer.”
ITU world champion Gwne Jorgensen of St. Paul, Minn., made history in 2014 as the only woman in the world to win eight career world triathlon series events. She clinched the world title with a win at the series finale in Edmonton, Alberta, a first for an American triathlete in more than 10 years. Jorgensen was selected as the female Elite Triathlete of the Year. The AAC named Jarrod Shoemaker, who finished the 2014 as the top-ranked American man in the ITU standings, the male Elite Triathlete of the Year.
Other athletes honored include:
- Non-drafting Athletes of the Year: Alicia Kaye, Clermont, Fla.; Meredith Kessler, San Fransisco; Ben Hoffman, Boulder, Colo.
- Paratriathletes of the Year: Kendall Gretsch, Madison, Wis., and Aaron Scheidies, Seattle
- Under-23 Athletes of the Year: Erin Jones, Hood River, Ore., and Ben Kanute, Geneva, Ill.
- Rookies of the Year: Kirsten Kasper, Nother Andover, Mass., and Justin Metzler, Iowa City, Iowa.
- Off-road Triathletes of the Year: Emma Garrard, Park City, Utah; and Josiah Middaugh, Vail, Colo.
USAT will announce all Athlete of the Year selections, including junior, age-group triathletes and duathletes, at a later date.
