Gwen Jorgensen

Gwen Jorgensen is a distance runner and professional triathlete with noteworthy achievements in the athletic field. Not only did she become the 2014 and 2015 ITU World Triathlon Series Champion, but she also received the honor of USA Triathlon's 2013 and 2014 Olympic/ITU Female Athlete of the Year. Her crowning achievement came in 2016 when she won the USA's first-ever triathlon gold medal at the Summer Olympics. In addition to these accolades, Jorgensen has a history of competing in multiple World Triathlon Series events and the Mixed Relay World Championships.

Jorgensen's academic background is rooted in the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she was active in swimming and running for the Badgers. Following her graduation, she pursued a master's degree in accounting and embarked on a career as a tax accountant. Eventually, her love for sports led her to leave her accounting position to focus full-time on triathlon. Her career trajectory shifted again in 2017 when she announced her retirement from triathlon to concentrate on marathon running. This transition was marked by her participation in the New York City Marathon in 2016, where she achieved a 14th-place finish.

After a brief interlude in her career due to personal reasons and heel surgery in 2019, Jorgensen made a remarkable return to the ITU World Triathlon Series in 2023. This comeback was part of her aim to qualify for the US team for the 2024 Olympics triathlon. Outside of her competitions, she is a member of the Bowerman Track Club and has been named the USA Triathlon Elite Triathlete of the Year multiple times. Alongside her athletic career, Jorgensen shared her experiences in her book "Go, Gwen, Go: A Family's Journey to Olympic Gold."