US team named for track World Championships in LA
01.02.2017
Sixteen athletes from the host nation will compete at the UCI Para cycling Track World Championships in March.
US Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, announced on Tuesday (31 January) the 16 athletes, including two tandem pilots, who will represent Team USA at the 2017 UCI Para cycling Track World Championships, between 2-5 March, in Los Angeles, USA.
“We’re very excited for this year’s World Championships,” said Ian Lawless, high performance director, US Paralympics Cycling. “It is a great opportunity for our athletes to showcase their talents and defend their No. 1 world ranking on home soil in Los Angeles. We are coming off of a very strong summer in Rio where we saw 18 podium finishes – including four gold – across road and track cycling, which should make for a competitive World Championship.”
Two US athletes will aim to defend their world titles on the track in Los Angeles. Joe Berenyi won two medals – both gold – at the 2016 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Montichiari, Italy, taking gold in the men’s C3 1,000m time trial and 3km individual pursuit. Shawn Morelli also captured gold, winning the women’s C4 3km individual pursuit.
Six of the US athletes have also represented their country in the military with five from the Army and one from the Marine Corps. Jason Kimball served in both the Marine Corps and the Army.
Team USA is the top-ranked nation in track, road and the overall International Cycling Union standings after a strong 2016 that included a four-medal haul at track World Championships, including three world titles and a world record, in Montichiari, Italy.
US roster for 2017 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
*Denotes U.S. Paralympian
#Denotes medallist at the 2016 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
Men
Name, Classification
*#Joe Berenyi, MC3
Todd Key, MC1
*William (Billy) Lister, MC1
Aaron Keith, MC2
Jason Kimball, MC3
Jason Macom, MC4
Justin Widhalm, MC4
*Christopher Murphy, MC5
Chester Triplett, MB - Stoker
Steven Pedone, MB - Pilot
Women
Name, Classification
*Samantha Bosco, WC5
*Shawn Cheshire, WB - Stoker
Robin Farina, WB - Pilot
*#Shawn Morelli, WC4
*Jennifer Schuble, WC5
*#Jamie Whitmore, WC3