USA Triathlon has announced that Gwen Jorgensen — the first US athlete to win an Olympic triathlon gold medal, a current professional runner and Tokyo Olympic hopeful — will serve as a keynote speaker for the second annual Endurance Exchange.
The virtual endurance sports industry conference will be hosted by USA Triathlon from January 21-23, 2021.
The inaugural Endurance Exchange was held in January 2020 in Tempe, Arizona, drawing more than 600 attendees, including coaches, race directors, brands and retailers, triathlon clubs, media outlets and other members of the multisport industry.
The 2021 edition will be held virtually to offer greater flexibility, reduce costs and eliminate the need for constituents to travel in order to attend. All content will be recorded, and attendees will be able to view sessions live or on-demand – offering options to accommodate delegate schedules.
In addition to Jorgensen, other keynotes at Endurance Exchange include Olympic speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno, accomplished neuropsychiatrist Dr John Ratey, and triathlon’s ‘Big Four’ – Mark Allen, Scott Molina, Dave Scott and Scott Tinley – with more to be announced in the coming weeks.
Gwen Jorgensen was an All-American track and cross-country runner for the University of Wisconsin and a member of the Badgers’ swim team. After graduating with her accounting master’s degree and CPA license in 2008, she began working as an accountant at Ernst & Young in Milwaukee.
She hadn’t planned to pursue sport professionally — until one day, she received a phone call from Barb Lindquist, founder of USA Triathlon’s Collegiate Recruitment Program, who noticed her running and swimming talent and urged her to compete in triathlon at the elite level.
After learning the basics of the sport, Jorgensen earned her elite license in her first competitive triathlon. She went on to collect three podiums in her debut professional season — earning the title of 2010 USA Triathlon Rookie of the Year — and ultimately punched her ticket to the Olympic Games London 2012.
She’d then go on to become the first woman to win a world title after an undefeated World Triathlon Series (WTS) season, to hold onto a 12-race WTS winning streak, and to win the Olympic test event followed by a gold medal the following year at the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
Since she won gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Jorgensen has turned to running. In 2017, Jorgensen announced she was giving up the ‘comfort’ of triathlon dominance to pursue a bold new goal: win an Olympic gold medal in the marathon. Her announcement came just months after giving birth to her son Stanley.
“The sport of triathlon changed my life, gave me the opportunity to become an Olympic champion and ultimately set me on the path to where I am today, pursuing entirely new Olympic dreams,” Gwen Jorgensen said.
“At Endurance Exchange, I’ll share a behind-the-scenes look into my journey — and in the process, I hope I can offer some tools that attendees can use to achieve their own personal and professional goals.”
Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO, said “Gwen has a story like none other in our sport, from her rapid rise to triathlon dominance to her decision to change course and continue her career as a professional runner.
“Her work ethic, commitment to family and confidence in her path are traits we can all emulate. We are proud to welcome Gwen to Endurance Exchange and can’t wait for our attendees to hear first-hand about her remarkable journey.”
Jorgensen’s keynote is scheduled for Saturday, January 23. The session will take the form of conversation with emcee Bob Babbitt, USA Triathlon and IRONMAN Hall of Famer and Co-Founder of the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF).
During her keynote, Jorgensen will speak about the evolution of her career — from collegiate standout to tax accountant, to Olympic triathlon champion, and now to professional runner and Tokyo Olympic 10k hopeful — as well as her journey to motherhood and how she balances family and training at a world-class level.
Registration for Endurance Exchange is currently US$175 for General Attendee All-Access, US$225 for Medical Professional All-Access and US$50 for Athlete Insider Access. The Athlete Insider track includes all keynote presentations, general sessions, guided virtual morning workouts and the virtual expo, as well as select content focused on the inner workings of USA Triathlon and the age-group Team USA experience.
Endurance Exchange attendees have the option to purchase a discounted US$35 USA Triathlon Annual Membership or renewal (extension of 12 months from current expiration date) as part of registration — a US$15 discount from regular membership pricing.
USA Triathlon is also offering a limited number of scholarships to foster diversity and bring varied perspectives to the event; interested candidates may apply online.
