Being inducted into AusTriathlon the Hall of Fame on Sunday night was incredible. I spoke to the progression of inclusion in the sport, from gender equity, to the para-triathlon program, and more recently a stated commitment to grow the participation of First Nations people and LGPTQIA+ in Triathlon.
In a career spanning 7 years I competed in 23 World Triathlon events, with 17 wins and 19 podiums. It was a career that included stress fractures, calf injuries, COVID, moving cities x4 times, and in between trying to have a normal personal life and relationships.
I did all this between the ages of 40 to 47 years. I would like to think that in doing this, not only as a para-athlete, that I role modelled the diversity we can have in age, gender and life stage, in High Performance sport.
Being a matured aged woman and navigating High Performance Triathlon sport at that stage of my life with the hard, repetitive, relentless and enduring training of three disciplines in Swim, Bike and Run, with up to 25 hours of training a week, does make me reflect, how?
I am thankful that I had that chapter in my life.
I am grateful too, that I was able to execute and secure Australia's first Gold Medal in the sport of Para-triathlon at the Rio 2016 Paralympics.
To win a Gold, I have come to realise since that day, is that everything needs to align.
Mostly I would say its about your presence, your mindfulness and your ability to truly enjoy and embrace that moment.
I will never forget the start line of that Rio race.
Michellie Jones OLY AM , leaned over and whispered in my ear before we entered Copacabana Beach, she said 'KK you are going to need to hurt today.' I remember thinking Yes, and yes I will.
Then at the end, holding the banner, and MJ shouting 'KK you've won the Gold! You've won the Gold!"
It was a fantastic night at the AusTriathlon annual award on Sunday night, and honestly, the most profound moment, was to have my Mum and Dad alongside me. Two people who have over a life time made it possible for me to always be at the seat of the table in whatever pursuit I followed.
KK website: www.katiekelly.com.au
KK YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gwnjPgw5
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AusTriathlon News article:
Two of Australia’s most celebrated triathletes, 2012 IRONMAN World Champion Pete Jacobs and 2016 Paralympic Games gold medallist Katie Kelly OAM, have been honoured with induction into the AusTriathlon Hall of Fame.
The pair were officially inducted during the 2024 AusTriathlon Awards on Sunday evening at the QT Gold Coast, joining an esteemed group the sports icons as the 19th and 20th members of the Hall of Fame.
The inductions were conducted by Paul Stevens, newly appointed AusTriathlon President, alongside his predecessor Michelle Cooper.
Both Jacobs and Kelly shared emotional reflections, sharing their journeys in the sport and paying tribute to the individuals who played pivotal roles in their success.
Katie Kelly OAM – Breaking Barriers and Inspiring Generations
Diagnosed in her mid-20s with Usher syndrome, a condition affecting vision and hearing, Katie Kelly found a new calling in para triathlon, combining her passion for endurance sports with her remarkable resilience.
Her rise in the sport was meteoric.
Just months after being classified as a vision-impaired para triathlete in early 2015, Kelly partnered with 2009 Hall of Fame Inductee Michellie Jones – an Olympic silver medallist and two-time ITU world champion.
The partnership quickly became legendary. Their undefeated streak leading into the 2016 Paralympics included gold at the 2015 World Championships in Chicago, where Kelly staged a dramatic comeback to secure victory.
At the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Kelly and Jones made history, claiming gold in the PT5 women’s event and delivering Australia its first-ever Paralympic medal in triathlon.
Kelly continued her dominance in the years following Rio, securing a second world title in 2017 at the ITU Para Championships in Rotterdam.
In 2018, despite battling a stress fracture, Kelly earned a bronze medal at the World Championships on the Gold Coast with guide Holly Grice.
Her remarkable career culminated at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, where she competed with guide Briarna Silk, finishing sixth.
Katie's competed in 23 international races over her 7 year career with 17 wins, and 19 podiums.
Since retiring, Kelly established the Sport Access Foundation, providing over $86,000 in grants for young Australians living with a disability to improve their access to sport.
Her advocacy for diversity and inclusion is further demonstrated through her roles as a Non-Executive Director for Achieve Australia, an Industry Fellow with Griffith University’s Disability Inclusive Council, co-founder of the Casino Fun Run Ambassador for the Australian Sport Alliance of People with Disability and a co-Patron of the Australian Deaf Games.
