The 2018 Triathlon Ontario Awards Celebration Night

Triathlon Magazine November 27, 2018

The 2018 Triathlon Ontario Awards Celebration Night. Photo: Brad Reiter

On Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, at the University of Toronto (Mississauga) campus, Triathlon Ontario proudly honoured its athletes, coaches and volunteers from the past season at the Annual Awards Celebration.

Along with the hardware handed out, the evening included some very inspiring speeches. Michelle Toro, an Olympic bronze medalist at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, shared her story of perseverance and Olympic experience. John Salt, an iconic figure in the Triathlon Ontario community, gave an emotional speech as he considered his legacy in the sport (recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award).

Michelle Toro, an Olympic bronze medalist, speaking at the 2018 Triathlon Ontario Awards Celebration Night. Photo: Brad Reiter

John Salt giving an emotional speech at the 2018 Triathlon Awards Celebration Night. Photo: Brad Reiter

Michelle Toro with some of Ontario's young triathlon talent. Photo: Brad Reiter

The list of the 2018 Triathlon Ontario award winners included 28 provincial champions and four club championship titles. Loaring Personal Coaching (LPC) Triathlon Club won the Mixed Team Relay and Division I titles. The C3 Canadian Cross Training Club won Division II, and the Peterborough Pirates Triathlon Club won the Youth category.

The Ontario Triathlete of the Year was awarded to both a female and male competitor in seven divisions.

Short Course Elite: Joanna Brown
Long Course Elite: Cody Beals
Short Course Age Group: Meghan Lamers & Marek Bialkowski
Long Course Age Group: Tamara Jewett & Nick Cosman
Short Course Masters: Kate Timms & Lee Rantala
Long Course Masters: Frances Hardwick & Bob Knuckey
Junior: Ella Kubas & Liam Donnelly

The Ontario Duathlete of the Year was awarded to four individuals.

Age Group: Naomi Lynne Wolfson & Matt Straatman
Masters: Tara Lapstra & Chris Schindler

2018 Triathlon Ontario Awards Celebration Night – Photo Gallery

John Salt giving an emotional speech at the 2018 Triathlon Awards Celebration Night. Photo: Brad Reiter

The 2018 Triathlon Ontario Awards Celebration Night. Photo: Brad Reiter

Photo: Brad Reiter

Michelle Toro with some of Ontario's young triathlon talent. Photo: Brad Reiter

Photo: Brad Reiter

John Salt was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Builder Award went to Joan and Rudy Hollywood. The Official of the Year went to Steve Harrigan. Volunteer of the Year was Amy Robitaille. The Coach of the Year went to Gabbi Whitlock, with honourable mentions to Andrew Bolton, Lee Hart, David Hopton and Dominika Jamnicky.