2004 U.S. Olympian Andy Potts to Lead USA Triathlon’s Paratriathlon Resident Team

January 17, 2025

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (January 17, 2025) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ — USA Triathlon today announced 2004 U.S. Olympian and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic guide Andy Potts as the new coach of the Paratriathlon Resident Team. The Paratriathlon Resident Team trains in a daily high performance environment at the Colorado Springs Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

“USA Triathlon is thrilled to welcome Andy Potts as the new coach of our Paratriathlon Resident Team,” said Scott Schnitzspahn, USA Triathlon High Performance General Manager. “Andy brings an extraordinary wealth of experience as an Olympian, 70.3 world champion, coach, and long-time leader in the triathlon community. His proven commitment to excellence and his passion for coaching athletes to achieve their best make him the ideal leader for this program.”

Lindsey Jerdonek, USA Triathlon Paralympic Program Senior Manager added, “We are confident that under his guidance, the Resident Team will continue to build on its impressive legacy of success as we prepare for the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.”

“Coaching the USA Triathlon Paratriathlon Resident Team is an incredible honor and an opportunity I’m truly excited about as I transition from racing to giving back to the sport that has given me so much,” Potts said. “I’m looking forward to helping these talented athletes grow, not just as competitors, but as people, by sharing the lessons I’ve learned throughout my career — the victories, the setbacks, and everything in between. Working with paratriathletes, each with unique stories and backgrounds, is a humbling and inspiring experience. I can’t wait to help them push boundaries, break barriers, and achieve their dreams.”

A 2004 U.S. Olympian, Potts was an NCAA Division I swimmer at the University of Michigan and placed fourth at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in the 400m individual medley. He then began racing triathlon competitively after college as a short-course, draft-legal specialist on the International Triathlon Union (now World Triathlon) circuit. Just a year and a half after picking up the sport of triathlon, Potts represented Team USA in triathlon at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Three years later he won gold at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Potts gravitated to long course racing and became one of the most decorated U.S. professional triathletes, with 32 IRONMAN 70.3 wins, eight IRONMAN wins and six Escape from Alcatraz titles to his name. Potts won the 2007 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and placed fourth at the 2014 and 2015 IRONMAN World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. A USA Triathlon Certified Coach, Potts is the founder of Andy Potts Racing.

In addition to his individual racing pursuits, Potts served as a sighted guide for U.S. Paralympian Kyle Coon at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Potts now takes over the successful Paratriathlon Resident Team that includes elite and development paratriathletes, including Paris 2024 Paralympian Emelia Perry (PTWC); 2016 and 2020 Paralympic swimmer McClain Hermes (PTVI); U.S. paratriathlon national champion Skyler Fisher (PTWC) and two emerging athletes, Aaron Kamnetz (PTWC) and Lucas Jundt (PTS3). Additional paratriathletes may be added in the future.

Founded in 2018 to serve as the first supported, daily training environment for the best paratriathletes in the United States, the Paratriathlon Resident Team has produced several World Para Series podiums, World Championship podiums, and Paralympic Games medals under the direction of Coach Derick Williamson (2018-2024).

Resident Team athletes won three medals at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games: gold for Allysa Seely (PTS2) and Kendall Gretsch (PTWC), and silver for Hailey Danz (PTS2). The team built on that success last summer, earning four medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: gold for Danz (PTS2), silver for Gretsch (PTWC), silver for Mohamed Lahna (PTS2), and bronze for Mark Barr (PTS2), representing half of the record eight medals won by the U.S. Paralympic Triathlon Team, the best for any country in paratriathlon at a single Paralympic Games.

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, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 3,500 events and races and connects with and supports more than 300,000 unique active members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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CONTACT: STEPHEN MEYERS | stephen.meyers@usatriathlon.org | 719-884-5616