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Gwen Jorgensen        

American Professional Triathlete, First American to Win Gold in an Olympic Triathlon

Gwen Jorgensen, an American distance runner and professional triathlete, has a history of commendable athletic performance. She became the 2014 and 2015 ITU World Triathlon Series Champion and was named USA Triathlon's 2013 and 2014 Olympic/ITU Female Athlete of the Year. Her performance at the 2016 Summer Olympics was particularly notable, where she won the USA's first-ever triathlon gold medal. Jorgensen also has multiple World Triathlon Series event wins to her name and has competed in the Mixed Relay World Championships.

Prior to her athletic career, Jorgensen attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she participated in swimming and running for the Badgers. After completing her education, she earned a master's degree in accounting and worked as a tax accountant. However, her passion for athletics led her to retire from her accounting job and focus on triathlon. In 2017, she decided to retire from triathlon and shift her focus to marathons. She participated in the New York City Marathon in 2016, where she managed to secure the 14th position.

Despite a brief pause in her career due to personal commitments and heel surgery in 2019, Jorgensen bounced back into the ITU World Triathlon Series in 2023. She has also been a member of the Bowerman Track Club and won the Women's Triathlon World Championship multiple times. To further share her story and journey, Jorgensen authored a book titled "Go, Gwen, Go: A Family's Journey to Olympic Gold." Her participation in the 2011 Pan American Games and the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics further demonstrate her dedication and commitment to her sport.

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