COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- 2012 U.S. Olympian and 2016 Olympic qualifier Gwen Jorgensen will award $25,000 in scholarship funding to junior triathletes and paratriathletes for the third straight year, and applications are now being accepted.
Two-time world champion and U.S. Olympian Gwen Jorgensen will award $25,000 in scholarship funds to junior triathletes. (Delly Carr/ITU)
Launched in 2014, the Gwen Jorgensen Scholarship was created to assist junior draft-legal triathletes and paratriathletes in their pursuit of excellence in the sport. In 2016, $25,000 and mentoring services with Jorgensen will be awarded to one or multiple applicants who demonstrate financial need, creative use of funds and passion for the multisport lifestyle. Members of the multisport community, including athletes, coaches and race directors, are welcome to apply, but funding must be applied to programming, training or travel costs for junior triathletes ages 19 and under.
"This past year, it was a pleasure to follow and mentor junior triathletes pursuing excellence," Jorgensen said. "I encouraged the athletes to contact me whenever they needed anything or had a question. My favorite part of this past year was receiving text message updates about how they raced or questions about both racing and life. I don't have all the answers, but I love being a part of their triathlon journey."
Details on how to apply for the scholarship are available at GwenJorgense.com. Applications must be submitted to GwenJorgensenScholarship@gmail.com by Sept. 21, and the scholarship will be awarded on Nov. 29.
"Receiving the Gwen Jorgensen Scholarship was a huge honor," said Kira Stanley (Acworth, Ga.), a recipient of the scholarship in 2015. "It not only helped me with my travel expenses to draft-legal races, but also motivated me knowing that [Gwen] had the confidence in my abilities. Getting this award from Gwen inspired me in both training and racing to work harder to show her that I was deserving of this scholarship."
To date, more than $40,000 has been awarded to 18 grant recipients. The scholarship is made possible in cooperation with the USA Triathlon Foundation, New York Athletic Club and Roka, Jorgensen's wetsuit sponsor.
Tax-deductible donations are also being accepted to the Gwen Jorgensen Scholarship, and for each additional dollar donated, Jorgensen and her husband, Pat Lemieux, will match it (up to an additional $5,000). To make a donation, make a check payable to the USA Triathlon Foundation and mail it to: USA Triathlon Foundation, C/O Gwen Jorgensen Scholarship, 5825 Delmonico Drive, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80919. Donations are also accepted at USATriathlonFoundation.org.
Jorgensen is the defending two-time ITU World Champion and has won 17 ITU World Triathlon Series titles, more than any other woman in the sport. She will compete in the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games on Aug. 20.
| 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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