USA Triathlon Announces 2021 Age Group Triathletes, Duathletes Of The Year Presented By Wahoo Fitness

March 8, 2022

Doherty, Hickey, Minagawa, Walker take home overall honors

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo./ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – USA Triathlon announced its 2021 Age Group Triathletes and Duathletes of the Year presented by Wahoo Fitness, as selected by USA Triathlon’s Age Group Committee and Multisport Committee, respectively.

Headlining the triathlon honorees are Minori Minagawa (Dublin, Ohio) and Dougin Walker (Tampa, Fla.), who were named Women’s and Men’s Overall Age Group Triathletes of the Year, respectively. Cassidy Hickey (Parker, Colo.) and Adoh Doherty (Taunton, Mass.) have been named Women’s and Men’s Overall Age Group Duathletes of the Year, respectively.

Throughout this week, USA Triathlon will announce and celebrate the winners of the annual Athletes of the Year which honors the top age group and elite multisport athletes and elite paratriathletes from the previous season. Athletes of the Year were recognized at this past week’s Endurance Exchange presented by BOA Nutrition, USA Triathlon’s annual endurance sports industry conference.

Minagawa, 27, won her age group in both the Olympic- and Sprint-Distance National Championships at the 2021 Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships held in Milwaukee. To cap her 2021 season, Minagawa earned the overall women’s amateur champion title at the Challenge Miami race. She is coached by Jarrod Evans and is a member of Triathlon Gold.

“I’m honored to have been selected. The season was by no means perfect, but it was definitely a year to remember. I know that I couldn’t have done it without the people who helped me get to where I am today,” said Minagawa, whose 2022 goal is to compete in her first race in the pro field after earning her elite license card in 2021. “I have a long way to go, but I’m excited to see what my first year as a pro triathlete will bring. I love the incredible community that triathlon brings. I’ve been fortunate to have friends and mentors from all backgrounds who continue to support me on this journey.”

Walker’s 2021 season also earned him Masters Triathlete of the Year honors, as the 56-year-old raced to podium spots in the Olympic- and Sprint-distance National Championships at Age Group National Championships. In IRONMAN races, Walker won his age group at IRONMAN Indiana, took second at IRONMAN Chattanooga, placed fourth at IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships and won his age group at IRONMAN 70.3 Florida. He is coached by Max Shute and is a member of the Kennedy Law Racing team.

“It never occurred to me that my results were good enough to get an award of this type. I also feel very lucky, as lots of things have worked out well for me in the racing world over the last year and a half,” said Walker, who has been a triathlete for more than 30 years. “When I started triathlon in 1987, I loved the fact that it was something different and kind of crazy. I’ve grown to appreciate how positive and supportive a vast majority of the people in the sport are, even most of those who are fiercely competitive.”

Also earning Junior Women’s Duathlete of the Year honors, Hickey, 18, won the Non-Drafting Sprint Distance National Title at the 2021 USA Triathlon Duathlon National Championships in Tuscaloosa, Ala.. She also placed second in the Draft-Legal Sprint Distance race. Hickey is a member of the Colorado Mesa University cycling team, and she placed fifth in the U23 division at the 2021 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships.

“It feels so amazing to win this award. I have really loved being more involved in the duathlon community and a whole other side to the sport that I love,” Hickey said.

Doherty, 26, also shined at Duathlon National Championships in 2021, winning the Draft-Legal Sprint Distance National Title and finishing third in the Standard-Distance race.

“This award is a blessing and it motivates me for the upcoming year of racing. I thank God for giving me strength to do the sport I love,” said Doherty, who offered his advice for fellow multipart athletes. “I was taught that nothing worthwhile is easy. Embrace the pain and don’t give up when it gets hard because on the other end of this grind is success.”

2021 USA Triathlon Age Group Triathletes of the Year and honorable mention selections

Women’s Overall Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Minori Minagawa (Dublin, Ohio)
Honorable Mentions: Meghan Fillnow, Bridget Foote, Becca Kawaoka, Michelle Stratton, Annamarie Strehlow

Men’s Overall Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Dougin Walker (Tampa, Fla.)
Honorable Mentions: Todd Buckingham, Klodian Mitri, Brian Reynolds, Benjamin Stone, Mike Wien

Women’s Masters Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Ginger Reiner (Lincoln, Mass.)
Honorable Mentions: Caitlin Drap, Jessica Holmes, Deanna Newman, Idalmis Pedrero, Cathy Yndestad

Men’s Masters Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Dougin Walker (Tampa, Fla.)
Honorable Mentions: James Hallberg, James Harrington, Tim Hola, Daniel Stubleski, Peter Valentyik

Women’s Grand Masters Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Donna Smyers (Adamant, VT)
Honorable Mentions: Colleen De Reuck, Kathy Grady, Juliana Nievergelt, Susan Pierson

Men’s Grand Masters Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Greg Taylor (Yankton, S.D.)
Honorable Mentions: James Aust, Philip Friedman, Kim Norman, Kyle Welch

Celeste Callahan Women’s Great Grand Masters Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Carol Gephart (Hamilton, Mich.)
Honorable Mentions: Lorrie Beck, Barbara Matheson, Cande Olsen, Laura Sopheia

Men’s Great Grand Masters Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Mike Wien (Boulder, Colo.)
Honorable Mentions: Michael Orendorff, Robert Plant, Jim Sumara, John Towart

Women’s Junior Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Alexandra Poole (Durham, N.C.)
Honorable Mention: Freya McKinley

Men’s Junior Age Group Triathlete of the Year: Kyle Swenson (Rogers, Minn.)
Honorable Mention: Braxton Bokos

2021 USA Triathlon Age Group Duathletes of the Year and honorable mention selections

Women’s Overall Age-Group Duathlete of the Year: Cassidy Hickey (Parker, Colo.)
Honorable Mentions: Kristen Hetzel, Kirsten Sass

Men’s Overall Age-Group Duathlete of the Year: Adoh Doherty (Taunton, Mass.)
Honorable Mentions: Nick Aguila, Todd Buckingham, Jeff Wilson

Women’s Junior Duathlete of the Year: Cassidy Hickey (Parker, Colo.)
Honorable Mentions: None

Men’s Junior Duathlete of the Year: Luke Moore (Arlington, Texas)
Honorable Mentions: John Bazaar, Jackson Parrill, Connor Spencer, Colin Wong

Women’s Masters Duathlete of the Year: Kirsten Sass (McKenzie, Tenn.)
Honorable Mentions: Celia Dubey, Kristen Hetzel, Steph Popelar

Men’s Masters Duathlete of the Year: Gene Severtson (Crofton, Md.)
Honorable Mentions: Toby Dogweiler, Stephen Eles, Jerry Faulkner, Jared Nieters, Thomas Woods

Anne Viviani Women’s Grand Masters Duathlete of the Year: Jodie Bolt (Lakewood, Wash.)
Honorable Mentions: Kirsten Chapman, Suzanne Cordes

Men’s Grand Masters Duathlete of the Year: Paul Greenberg (Westport, Conn.)
Honorable Mentions: Richard Cordes, Jeff Dorrill, David Morrow, Greg Pelican

Women’s Great Grand Masters Duathlete of the Year: Patty Peoples (Redlands, Calif.)
Honorable Mentions: Lori Beck, Colleen Rebant

Men’s Great Grand Masters Duathlete of the Year: Jean-Pierre Bacle (Alexandria, Va.)
Honorable Mentions: Duane Amato, Bob Becker, Mike Morris, Roland Parsons