Athlete Bios
Learn more about USA Triathlon's elite athletes in the athlete bios section.
US Anti-Doping Agency
The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is dedicated to preserving the integrity of competition, inspiring true sport and protecting the rights of US Athletes. USADA oversees and coordinates the Olympic drug testing program in the United States. Athletes who compete, are members or license holders of an NGB, or who fall under USADA's testing jurisdiction as defined in the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement testing, are subject to testing both in and out of competition. Athlete are subject to both urine and blood testing that can occur at any time and in any place.
For more information regarding USADA's testing procedures and athlete rights and responsibilities, please visit their website www.usada.org.
About
The Under-23 or “U23” division is a bridge between Junior Elite and Elite competition. To compete in a U23 division, an athlete must be between the ages of 18 and 23 as of December 31st of the competition year. Most U23 races are actually subdivisions within ITU Continental Cups. This means that in order to compete as a U23, an athlete must hold a USAT Elite License. U23s compete at the Olympic Distance (1.5k/40k/10k) and the format is draft-legal. Most Junior Elites (16 to 19 year olds) are encouraged to finish out their eligibility in the junior division before advancing to the U23 races because of the longer distances. U23 champions are recognized at the USAT Elite National Championship, Pan Am Championship, and ITU World Championship.
ITU Under-23 World Championships
Each year USA Triathlon qualifies a group of elite triathletes aged 18-23 who will compete at the ITU Under-23 (U23) World Championships. The 2012 World Championships will be held in Auckland, New Zealand.
USAT Under-23 National Championships
The USAT Under-23 National Championships is a draft-legal, Olympic-distance triathlon contested under ITU rules.
2011 Under-23 Nationals were held in Buffalo, N.Y., on Sept. 24 in conjunction with Elite Nationals. Under-23 elite athletes will race with the elites.
FISU World University Championships
The FISU World University Championships are a draft-legal, ITU sanctioned triathlon contested every two years. USA Triathlon endorses a team to provide collegiate elite athletes with the opportunity to continue their athletic development by demonstrating their abilities at the highest levels of international triathlon competition, with a focus of maximizing podium performance.
USA Triathlon Athlete Profiler
USA Triathlon uses the Athlete Profiler to identify athletes for invitation to Select Camps and National Team programs. The Athlete Profiler also serves as an important two-way communication tool between USAT and its younger members. Once an athlete has created a profile, they are able to update it from time-to-time with their most recent personal best times and race results. USAT often uses the Athlete Profiler to contact athletes about upcoming events and opportunities. Athletes 23 and under are encouraged to create an Athlete Profile using the link below.
www.usatdevelopment.org
If you have questions about developmental opportunities for U23s, please contact Andy Schmitz, High Performance General Manager at andy.schmitz@usatriathlon.org.
