Olympian Allysa Seely (USA) becomes first Para triathlete World Triathlon Executive Board member
Allysa Seely of the United States has been elected Vice Chair of World Triathlon Athletes Committee, and in turn becomes the first Para triathlete Executive Board member.
Seely is a three-time World Paratriathlon Champion (2015, 2016, 2018) and is the only female two-time Paralympic gold medallist having won Paralympic gold medals at both the 2016 Rio de Janeiro and 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games in the women’s PTS2 triathlon event.
The American Para triathlete was elected back in Nov 4 to the new World Triathlon Athletes’ Committee as one of 10 athletes charged with ensuring the athletes’ viewpoint remains at the heart of World Triathlon decisions.
Top of the agenda at the committees first meeting on November 15 was to elect two chair positions in line with the Constitution. Seely was elected Vice Chair of World Triathlon Athletes Committee, in the voting held among her peer members with Hungarian athlete Tamas Toth being re-elected to Chair.
Both will seat, from now on, at the World Triathlon Executive Board, where the Athletes Committee has two representatives.
World Triathlon President Marisol Casado praised Seely’s appointment, “Having for the first time in our organisation a Para athlete sitting at the Board also shows the commitment of all with Para triathlon.”
Seely is known for her competitiveness and determination, a mindset that has enabled her to break barrier after barrier as she achieves her goals. The American aims to serve the needs of all athletes but will be keenly focused on increasing awareness of, and competition in, paratriathlon and striving for equity across the Olympic and Paralympic side of triathlon.
Seely was diagnosed with Chiari II malformation, basilar invagination and Ehlers-Danos syndrome in 2010; underwent brain and spinal surgery and had her left leg amputated below the knee in 2013.
The 32-year-old American is no stranger to the advisory position stage as she served on USA Triathlon Athletes’ Advisory Council for seven years and the USA Triathlon Board of Directors for two years. Through her tenure in leadership positions with USA Triathlon, Seely has advised USA Triathlon on pertinent topics such as SafeSport, Compliance, and Operation Gold.
