Katie Kelly (paratriathlete)

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Katie Kelly

| image = XXXX15 - Katie Kelly - 3b - 2016 Team processing.jpg

|alt = Kelly smiling

| caption = Kelly in 2015

| headercolor = green

| textcolor = yellow

| nationality = {{flagicon|AUS}} Australian

| birth_name = Kathleen Margaret Kelly

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|2|6|df=y}}

| birth_place = Casino, New South Wales, Australia

| sport = Paratriathlon

| medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry| {{AUS}} }}

}}

Kathleen Margaret "Katie" Kelly {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} (born 6 February 1975) is an Australian paratriathlete, who has a degenerative disease known as Usher syndrome.{{cite web|last1=McGrath|first1=Rosey|title=Para-triathlete Katie Kelly to race with Olympic medallist as her guide |url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/para-triathlete-katie-kelly-to-race-with-olympic-medallist-as-her-guide/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330004400/https://www.paralympic.org.au/para-triathlete-katie-kelly-to-race-with-olympic-medallist-as-her-guide/|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 March 2016|website=Australian Paralympic Committee|access-date=20 August 2015}} Kelly began competing in the PT5 paratriathlon classification in February 2015 when her condition deteriorated to a legally blind state.{{cite web|title=Golden rain in Yokohama for Aussie paratriathon team|url=http://www.deafsports.org.au/blog/entry/goldenraininyokohamaforaussieparatriathonteam|website=Deaf Sports Australia|publisher=DeafSportsAUS|access-date=20 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923213132/http://www.deafsports.org.au/blog/entry/goldenraininyokohamaforaussieparatriathonteam|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} She has just 30 per cent of her vision. With her guide Michellie Jones, Kelly won gold medals at the 2015 and 2017 ITU World Championships and 2016 Rio Paralympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/athlete/katie-kelly |title=Katie Kelly |access-date=12 September 2016 |publisher=rio2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922202334/https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/athlete/katie-kelly |archive-date=22 September 2016 }} She competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.{{Cite web|date=19 July 2021|title=World-Class Para-Triathletes Confirmed For Tokyo 2020|url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/2021/07/world-class-para-triathletes-confirmed-for-tokyo-2020/|access-date=19 July 2021|website=Paralympics Australia}}

Personal life

Kelly was born on 6 February 1975 in Casino, New South Wales.{{cite news|last1=White|first1=Leah|title=Katie chases paralympic dream after Chicago triathlon win|url=http://www.northernstar.com.au/news/paralympic-dream-para-triathlon/2789227/|access-date=11 November 2015|work=Northern Star|date=29 September 2015}} She is one of five siblings, all of whom were heavily into sport. At the age of five she was diagnosed with poor hearing and subsequently has worn hearing aids. In her mid-20s she was diagnosed with Usher syndrome by an ophthalmologist. The loss of vision meant that she forfeited her driver's license. In January 2015, she was declared legally blind by an ophthalmologist.

File:Katie Kelly and guide in Rio 2016.jpg

Kelly was educated at St Ursula's College and Downlands College, Toowoomba. She completed a Bachelor of Sports Management from Griffith University.{{cite press release |author=Griffith News |url=https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/news/2016/09/12/griffith-graduate-kelly-wins-gold-at-paralympics/ |title=Griffith graduate Kelly wins gold at Paralympics |publisher=Griffith University |date=12 September 2016 |access-date=12 April 2018 }} In 2009, she gained her master's from the University of Technology Sydney.{{cite news|title=World Paratriathlon Events continue in Sunshine Coast|url=http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/world_paratriathlon_events_continue_in_sunshine_coast|access-date=28 April 2015|publisher=Triathlon Australia|date=12 March 2015}}

Kelly has worked in the sports industry in roles with the National Rugby League, Melbourne Storm, ANZ Stadium, Newcastle Knights, Northern Territory Dept Sport and Recreation and Athletics NSW. She has also done pro bono work as media liaison officer for the Australian Blind Cricket Team and was a former media liaison officer for the Australian Deaflympic team at the 2005 Deaflympics that was held in Melbourne and was also a DSA board member.

In 2017, Kelly established the Sport Access Foundation to assist children with a disability with access to sport and recreational facilities.

Sports career

Prior to moving into paratriathlon, Kelly was actively involved in sport particularly distance running and ironman events. She has competed in the New York Marathon.{{cite web|title=Athletics NSW Launch The Inaugural Casino RSM Fun Run|url=http://nswathletics.org.au/News/athletics-nsw-launch-the-inaugural-casino-rsm-fun-run|website=Athletics NSW website|access-date=11 November 2015}} After being diagnosed as legally blind in January 2015, Kelly contacted the Australian Paralympic Committee regarding her eligibility to compete in paratriathlon. In February 2015, was classified as a vision impaired (PT5) paratriathlete.

On 13 March 2015, Kelly placed first at the ITU World Paratriathlon held at the Sunshine Coast, Queensland with her guide Laura Cook. Kelly completed a 750 m swim, 20 km bike ride and a 5 km run to beat her Japanese rival, Atsuko Yamada with a world-class time of 1:15:26.{{cite web|title=2015 Sunshine Coast ITU World Paratriathlon Event|url=http://www.triathlon.org/results/result/2015_sunshine_coast_itu_world_paratriathlon_event/270550|website=International Triathlon Union|access-date=28 April 2015}}{{cite news|title=MICHELLIE JONES TO GUIDE KATIE KELLY ALONG ROAD TO RIO|url=http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/MICHELLIE_JONES_TO_GUIDE_KATIE_KELLY_ALONG_ROAD_TO_RIO.htm|access-date=28 April 2015|publisher=Triathlon Australia|date=12 May 2015|archive-date=16 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716034619/http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/MICHELLIE_JONES_TO_GUIDE_KATIE_KELLY_ALONG_ROAD_TO_RIO.htm|url-status=dead}} Two weeks later, Kelly placed first at the National Paratriathlon Championships in Redcliffe on 29 March 2015, with a time of 1:16:59.{{cite web|title=2015 AUS Paratriathlon National Championship|url=http://www.triathlon.org/results/result/2015_aus_paratriathlon_national_championships/275357|website=Triathlon Australia}} These titles led Kelly to be ranked number 13 in the world.

In May 2015 it was confirmed that two-time International Triathlon Union (ITU) world champion, Michellie Jones, would be Kelly's new guide in the lead up to the 2016 Summer Paralympics. With Jones, she won the World Paratriathlon Event held in Yokohama, Japan on 16 May 2015.{{cite news|last1=Connery|first1=Georgina|title=Katie Kelly's rapid course to Rio 2016 Paralympics|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/katie-kellys-rapid-course-to-rio-2016-paralympics-20150602-gheneh.html|access-date=21 July 2015|work=Canberra Times}}

Kelly with guide Jones won her their first World Championship title after a come-from-behind victory at the 2015 World Championships Final in Chicago.{{cite web|last1=White|first1=Chelsea|title=Australia awesome at Paratriathlon World Championships|url=http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/paratriathlon_crowns_ten_world_champions|website=International Triathlon Union News|date=18 September 2015 |access-date=18 September 2015}} Kelly's main aim is to make the Australian paratriathlon team for the 2016 Rio Paralympics. At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Kelly with Jones as the guide won the gold medal in the Women's PT5 event.{{cite news|last1=Spits|first1=Scott|title=An unbreakable bond: Katie Kelly and guide Michellie Jones win triathlon gold at the Rio Paralympics|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/an-unbreakable-bond-katie-kelly-and-guide-michellie-jones-win-triathlon-gold-at-the-rio-paralympics-20160911-grdz4z.html|access-date=12 September 2016|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=12 September 2016}} It was Australia's first medal in paratriathlon at the Summer Paralympics.

At the 2017 ITU World Championships, Rotterdam, Kelly and Jones won the gold medal in Women's PTV1. It was their second world championship title.{{cite web|title=Golden day for Aussie paratriathletes in Rotterdam|url=http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Golden_day_for_Aussie_paratriathletes_in_Rotterdam.htm|website=Triathlon Australia website|access-date=16 September 2017|archive-date=16 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916140121/http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Golden_day_for_Aussie_paratriathletes_in_Rotterdam.htm|url-status=dead}}

She won the bronze medal with guide Holly Grice in the Women's PTV1 at 2018 World Championships at Gold Coast, Queensland after battling a stressed left metatarsal in the lead up to the event.{{cite web |title=Tapp turned on full bore as Emily strokes World Championship gold |url=http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Tapp_turned_on_full_bore_as_Emily_strikes_world_championship_gold.htm |website=Triathlon Australia website |access-date=16 September 2018 |archive-date=17 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917034356/http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Tapp_turned_on_full_bore_as_Emily_strikes_world_championship_gold.htm |url-status=dead }} At the 2019 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne, she finished eighth in the Women's PTVI.{{Cite web|url=http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Parker_crowned_World_Champion_in_Lausanne_24828.htm|title=Parker crowned World Champion in Lausanne|date=2 September 2019|website=Triathlon Australia|access-date=2 September 2019|archive-date=2 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902080720/http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Parker_crowned_World_Champion_in_Lausanne_24828.htm|url-status=dead}}

Kelly's guide for 2020 Summer Paralympics was Briarna Silk and they trained with Triathlon Australia's High Performance Coach Dan Atkins on the Gold Coast. She finished sixth in Women's PTVI with a time of 1:13.01.{{Cite web|title=Katie Kelly|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/triathlon/athlete-profile-n1420826-kelly-katie.htm|access-date=27 September 2021|work=Tokyo 2020 Paralympics|publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926235902/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/triathlon/athlete-profile-n1420826-kelly-katie.htm|url-status=dead}}

Recognition

2016/17 – Sir Roden Cutler Award, Primary Club of Australia{{cite web|title=Katie Kelly named Sir Roden Cutler Awardee 2016/17|url=http://www.primaryclub.com/2017/02/19/katie-kelly-named-sir-roden-cutler-awardee-201617/|website=Primary Club of Australia website|access-date=20 February 2017}}{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
2017 – Order of Australia Medal in 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2017/slkh83xzcb/OAM%20Final%20Media%20Notes%20(F-L).pdf |title=OAM Final Media Notes (F-L) |publisher=Governor General of Australia |access-date=26 January 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129003411/https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2017/slkh83xzcb/OAM%20Final%20Media%20Notes%20%28F-L%29.pdf |archive-date=29 January 2017 |df=dmy-all }}
2017 – Triathlon Australia Female Performance of the Year.{{cite web|title=RIO GOLDEN GIRL KATIE KELLY AND IRONMAN TIM REED SCOOP TRIATHLON AUSTRALIA AWARDS|url=http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Rio_golden_girl_Katie_Kelly_and_Ironman_Tim_Reed_scoop_Triathlon_Australia_Awards.htm|website=Triathlon Australia website|access-date=17 April 2017|archive-date=19 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419101014/http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Rio_golden_girl_Katie_Kelly_and_Ironman_Tim_Reed_scoop_Triathlon_Australia_Awards.htm|url-status=dead}}
2017 – Triathlon Australia Paratriathlete Performance of the Year.
2023 - Griffith University Sport Hall of Fame{{Cite web |last=Dobson |first=Ben |date=2023-11-16 |title=Cass makes a big splash at Griffith Sports Blues Awards |url=https://news.griffith.edu.au/2023/11/16/cass-makes-a-big-splash-at-griffith-sports-blues-awards/ |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=news.griffith.edu.au |language=en-EN}}
2024 - Triathlon Australia Hall of Fame{{Cite web |last=Falco |first=Tom |date=2024-12-08 |title=All the winners from the 2024 AusTriathlon Awards |url=https://www.triathlon.org.au/news/all-the-winners-from-the-2024-austriathlon-awards/ |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=AusTriathlon |language=en-AU}}