Champions Crowned at Fifth Annual USA Triathlon Military & First Responders National Championships in Indiana

HAMMOND, Ind. - Multisport competitors representing all branches of the U.S. military and various divisions of police, EMS and fire response raced in the fifth annual USA Triathlon Military & First Responders National Championships on June 1 as part of Leon's Triathlon. 

Coined “America’s Race,” Leon’s Triathlon has a long legacy of honoring and empowering U.S. service men and women, especially injured military veterans. Leon’s Triathlon, located 30 minutes outside of Chicago, partners with a variety of local, state and national initiatives and organizations throughout the year to recognize and give back to military and first responders, building a spirit of community to give back to those who serve. 

Athletes raced in the Sprint Distance triathlon (500-meter swim, 11.6-mile bike, 5-kilometer run) or the Olympic Distance triathlon (1,500m swim, 23.2-mile bike, 10k run), and earned national titles in categories including Military-Active Duty, Military-Retired, Police, EMS, Fire, and Military Spouses. 

In the Sprint Distance Triathlon National Championships, Beau Berkshire (Warren, Ohio) won the overall title and the Military Active-Duty title in 57 minutes and 4 seconds. Don Cain (Westerville, Ohio) placed second in 1:05:04 and Paul Braatz (Belleville, Wis.) placed third in a time of 1:16:55. Cain also won the overall Military Veteran title. 

Kimee Armour (Auburn, Ill.) won the overall women’s sprint and Military Veterans titles in a time of 1:43:17. She was followed in by Kara McDowell (Kenosha, Wis.) in 1:49:36 and Kristen Cassarini (Madison, Wis.) in 2:57:52. Both McDowell and Cassarini won overall titles in the Military-Active Duty and ATD1AMB categories, respectively. 

In Olympic Distance Triathlon National Championships, Ian King (St. Louis, Mo.) won the overall and Military Active-Duty titles in a time of 1:58:13. Bryan Dunker (Burlington County, N.J.) placed second in 2:10:39 and Robert Garren (Chicago, Ill.) placed third in 2:20:26. Dunker placed second in the Military Active-Duty category, and Garren won the overall Police title. 

Cheryl Patterson (New Castle, Ind.) placed first overall and in the Military Veterans category in a time of 2:34:15. Mary Krawczyk (Naperville, Ill.), placed second in 2:41:45 while Samantha Holmes (Wichita, Kan.) placed third in 2:52:08. Krawczyk also placed second in the Military Veterans category, and Holmes placed first overall in the Fire category. 

Additionally, Leon’s Triathlon collaborated with USA Paratriathlon for a Paratriathlon Nationals Qualifier Series race, highlighting a shared commitment to inclusivity and excellence in sport, offering paratriathletes the opportunity to showcase their incredible talent and determination on a national stage.  

Dare2Tri, an adaptive sports and fitness company, co-founded by Paralympian Melissa Stockwell, Dan Tun and Keri Serota, hosted an Injured Military Camp, with special guests, Stockwell and fellow U.S. Paralympian and military veteran Eric McElvenny. Para athletes and veterans can find more information on the Paratriathlon Nationals Qualifier Series here and more information on Dare2Tri here.