COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- USA Triathlon honored four accomplished multisport athletes on Saturday evening at the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Rudy Project, held at Cheyenne Mountain Resort as part of the USA Triathlon Race Director Symposium weekend.
Harriet Anderson, Siri Lindley (back), Ken Glah and Roger Brockenbrough (front) were inducted into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame on Saturday. (Tom Kimmell)
Former ITU star and world-ranked No. 1 Siri Lindley, IRONMAN champion Ken Glah, and national and world champion age-groupers Harriet Anderson and Roger Brockenbrough were joined by nearly 250 friends, family members and fans of triathlon at the annual event.
"The Hall of Fame induction is a celebration of excellence, and these four people epitomize that celebration," said Jon Gray Noll, the Chair of the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame Committee and Class of 2008 inductee. "They are tremendous athletes whose abilities should be recognized, but it should be noted that they're even better people. We're proud to have them officially welcomed into the Hall of Fame this evening."
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, U.S. Olympic Champion in the 100m hurdles and the USOC Chief of Organizational Excellence, began the evening as the keynote speaker. "400 meters is the longest race I've ever run," Fitzgerald Mosley said, before talking about how her experience as an athlete shaped her life. "I have a lot of respect for those who swim, bike and run a distance 560 times that."
With hundreds of races and accolades between them, the four inductees were quick to express their gratitude for everyone who helped them along their multisport journeys.
"Tonight to me is all about remembering and thanking those people who got me here," said Glah, who shared stories about his family and friends who supported him every step of the way to completing more than 70 IRONMAN races in his career. "It's been an incredible journey, and I hope to be like Harriet and Roger and continue racing [...] into my 80s. Hopefully this is just the halfway point in my career."
Brockenbrough joked that moments of his triathlon career were good, bad and ugly, but credits his son for getting him to his first race, which made him a lifelong triathlete.
"Who would have guessed when I got that first little plastic trophy at a race not too far from Pittsburgh that I would have gotten so hooked on this sport, which really led me down a path in my life for the next 30 years," Brockenbrough said, adding that he had traveled to 12 countries and 28 U.S. states for races. "It's been a wonderful experience, and a lot of fun. I've truly enjoyed every minute of it."
It was a sentiment shared by Anderson, who qualified for her first IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in 1989 and finished on the podium there more than 20 times. She holds the record as the oldest female finisher of the race.
"I loved every minute of it," she said. "It's been a wonderful life, and everyone says I've inspired older people to continue to exercise. I still exercise, and I think I'll probably do this for the rest of my life, but triathlon's been such a special part of my life."
Lindley was also incredibly grateful to her supporters, but also to the sport for giving her a level of confidence and belief in herself she hadn't thought possible.
"I proved to myself day after day after day that I had what it took to make these things happen," said the former world-ranked No. 1 athlete turned coach. "I'm forever grateful. This sport is incredible. It unites us all, it inspires us all. It's an incredibly healthy way to live. We all inspire each other, and we all bring out the best in each other, and I hope you can continue to do that for one another, always."
Founded in 2008, the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame has recognized the best performances and contributions in the sport's 41-year history. This year's class brings the total number of inductees to 37. Visit usatriathlon.org/hof for more information on the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame.
| About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with nearly 500,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
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