USA Triathlon, in partnership with the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), have announced the roster for the 2021 US Paratriathlon Junior/U23 Development Team. The group is comprised of up-and-coming paratriathletes aged 13-21, who are aiming to develop their skills and ultimately race at the national and international levels.
The purpose of the program, in operation for its second year, is to identify talent, provide assistance and encourage passion in the sport of paratriathlon. Athletes will receive a CAF travel grant to cover all travel expenses during races and camps, as well as USA Triathlon and CAF-branded equipment and apparel.
Team members will also receive support and advice from Christine Palmquist, USA Triathlon Level III, Youth & Junior, and Paratriathlon Certified Coach. Palmquist was named USA Triathlon’s 2019 Developmental Coach of the Year and 2017 Paratriathlon Coach of the Year. In November 2020, she was elected to the World Triathlon Paratriathlon Committee.
“USA Triathlon and the Challenged Athletes Foundation are proud to equip five aspiring paratriathletes with the resources, coaching and support they need to grow and excel in multisport,” said Amanda Duke Boulet, USA Triathlon Paralympic Program Director.
“We can’t wait to get back to racing, training camps and clinics this season, and we look forward to guiding these rising stars in pursuit of their goals.”
“CAF is once again proud to be supporting the pipeline of paratriathlon by partnering with USA Triathlon on the U23/Junior Development Team,” said Travis Ricks, Director of Programs at CAF. “We look forward to seeing all of these amazing young ladies out there competing and showing the world the next generation of the sport.”
Members of the Junior/U23 Development Team are committed to training primarily for triathlons during the 2021 season and participating in at least three events:
- The USA Triathlon/Challenged Athletes Foundation Youth Paratriathlon Camp in Chula Vista, California;
- The USA Triathlon Youth & Junior Nationals in West Chester, Ohio; and
- An optional event of the athlete’s choice.
The five athletes were identified through an application process and selected at the discretion of the USA Triathlon High Performance team and the CAF Programs team.
The following athletes have been named to the 2021 US Paratriathlon Junior/U23 Development Team:
Skyler Fisher (Dallas, Texas), Age 16
Skyler Fisher is an adaptive athlete from Texas. She enjoys competing in paratriathlon, track & field, swimming, and WCMX (a sport in which athletes use wheelchairs to perform tricks adapted from skateboarding and BMX, usually in a skatepark).
Isabelle Hogness (Fargo, North Dakota), Age 13
Isabelle Hogness is a member of the U23/Junior Paratriathlon Development Team for the second consecutive year. She completed her first triathlon at the age of 11 and has loved it ever since. Hogness was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair for long distances and competitions.
Emma Meyers (Pensacola, Florida), Age 14
Emma Meyers joins the U23/Junior Paratriathlon Development Team for the second year. Meyers is a below-the-knee amputee who started competing in triathlons when she was ten years old.
Olivia Molnar (Lewisville, Texas), Age 15
Olivia Molnar is currently a swimmer for her high school as well as for Metroplex Aquatics Swim Club. Molnar is also the first wheelchair track athlete at her high school. Her multisport experience includes a junior triathlon in 2013 — a year after she had major surgery, as a goal of rehabilitation.
Sammy Rhodes (Wooster, Ohio), Age 21
Sammy Rhodes was born with spina bifida. She is a junior at the University of Illinois majoring in speech language pathology. She has competed in adaptive swimming and Paralympic track & field, and she is currently a member of the Illinois Paralympic track and road racing team.
www.usaparatriathlon.org
www.challengedathletes.org
