USA Triathlon has recognized four of the most successful coaches in its ranks as its 2019 Coaches of the Year, presented by Wahoo Fitness.
Ian O’Brien, Wesley Johnson and Christine Palmquist were honoured for their accomplishments in coaching national team athletes, paratriathletes and developmental athletes, respectively, while Graham Wilson was named the first-ever USA Triathlon Coach Educator of the Year.
Nominations were open to the public, and category winners were determined by a USA Triathlon selection panel of coaching and sport education professionals.
National Coach of the Year: Ian O’Brien
Ian O’Brien (Denver, Colorado), Head Coach of ORIGIN Performance, was named National Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year. ORIGIN athletes achieved multiple breakout performances on the world stage in 2019.
“We have had a consistent growing trajectory in terms of performance for my athletes over the past several years. Each year we get better and better,” Ian O’Brien said. “I am extremely honoured and humbled to receive this award, but it’s truly a reflection of the team and culture we have been building over the past quadrennial. This award adds to the confirmation that we are consistently getting it right, but we are truly modest and learning every day in our pursuit of excellence.”
In addition to his National Coach of the Year honours in 2018 and 2019, O’Brien was also named USA Triathlon’s Developmental Coach of the Year for 2016.
Paralympic Coach of the Year: Wesley Johnson
Wesley Johnson (Sandy, Utah) was named Paralympic Coach of the Year for his achievements coaching US elite paratriathletes to international success in 2019. He was also honoured as the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Paralympic Coach of the Year in November at the Team USA Awards Presented by Dow, Best of the Year.
Developmental Coach of the Year: Christine Palmquist
Christine Palmquist (Geneva, Illinois), who was USA Triathlon’s 2017 Paratriathlon Coach of the Year, was honoured as the 2019 Developmental Coach of the Year for her work with up-and-coming youth and junior elite athletes.
Coach Educator of the Year: Graham Wilson
Graham Wilson (Green Oaks, Illinois) earned USA Triathlon’s inaugural Coach Educator of the Year Award, presented to a Coach Educator, American Development Model (ADM) Sport Educator or volunteer who has made an impact in the coaching education space.
Wilson is the Chair of USA Triathlon’s National Coaching Committee, a volunteer group of seven USA Triathlon-certified coaches who advise USA Triathlon’s coaching education staff and serve as a voice for the wider USA Triathlon coaching community. In 2019, Wilson also personally mentored three USA Triathlon Level I certified coaches. He is the founder and head coach of the Wilson Coaching Group and has been racing and coaching multisport for more than 25 years.
