USA Paratriathlon Receives VA Adaptive Sport Grant Award

USA Paratriathlon, a program of USA Triathlon, has been selected as a recipient of the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs Adaptive Sports Grant, under the Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for Disabled Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces Program.

The grant, which was awarded in support of Paralympic sport and physical activity programs for disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces, totals $77,000 and will further establish programs and educational opportunities for veteran athletes. The grant, which focuses specifically on the USA Paratriathlon Military Program, follows four fundamental pillars: expose athletes to the sport through camps focusing on introductory concepts and skill development; evoke confidence in injured veterans to feel comfortable with triathlon training and racing equipment; educate existing adaptive sport clubs and veteran organizations about the sport through hands-on support; and enable pursuit of excellence through high performance support of those who show Paralympic potential.

USA Paratriathlon will partner with VA hospitals, Paralympic sport clubs, veteran adaptive sport clubs and major existing veteran games to increase exposure of the sport to veterans. Additionally, this grant complements another partnership program between USA Paratriathlon and VA - the Paralympic training allowance - which provides assistance for disabled veterans in their triathlon training. More information about the VA Adaptive Sports Program is available at va.gov.

"The grant funding we receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs ensures our ability to build out better programs for veterans within our sport," said Amanda Duke Boulet, USA Triathlon Paratriathlon Program Manager. "Through this generous award, we will introduce the sport to new athletes at the local level, while continuing to support our veteran elite paratriathletes as they compete both domestically and abroad against the best in the world."

This is the fourth consecutive year USA Paratriathlon has been awarded grant funding provided by Veterans Affairs. The program has received more than $250,000 to date and aims to provide appropriate opportunities for all, whether it be to simply learn the requisite skills to swim, bike and run safely for recreation or to train and compete at an elite level with an objective to represent the U.S. at the Paralympic Games.

For more information about USA Paratriathlon and its programs, contact Jessica Welk at paratriathlon@usatriathlon.org or visit usatriathlon.org/paratriathlon.

About USA Triathlon: USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with nearly 500,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).