Lesley Cens-McDowell to be inducted into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame
Big Island’s very own, Lesley Cens-McDowell, will soon have her status cemented amongst triathlon greats. Earlier this year, the USA Triathlon revealed the names of four triathlon legends who will be inducted into the 11th class of the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame.
2016 Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen, two-time Olympian Laura Bennett, age-group athlete Robert Plant, and Holualoa’s Lesley Cens-McDowell, were announced to receive the prestigious honor on August 4 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
As a longtime age-group triathlete, the now 75-year old has won multiple triathlon races of all distances, including the Ironman World Championship in Kona, half-Ironman, Olympic distance, and sprint triathlons during her career.
At the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Cens-McDowell completed 17 races, of which 11 were first place age group titles and three second places finishes. She set two Kona age group records with her personal best being a finishing time of 10 hours and 58 minutes in the 45-49 age group.
Cens-McDowell’s fierce determination and grit to overcome the impossible truly became a testament to her character and passion for triathlon when at one Kona Ironman race, a stress fracture of her fibula developed into a complete fracture halfway through the marathon. She still managed to finish in second place among a very competitive age group.
At USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships, Lesley won seven national titles and was chosen as USA Triathlon Masters Triathlete of the Year in 1991, which earned her a trip to Japan to compete on behalf of the United States.
She qualified for four Olympic distance World Championships and competed in three: Avignon, France, Orlando, Florida, and Manchester, England. Cens-McDowell won podium spots in all three races.
Lesley came to triathlon from a background of tennis, Grand Prix motorcycle racing, and then running. She was featured in Sports Illustrated, “Faces in the Crowd,” in two separate issues.
Since her accomplishments as a triathlete, Cens-McDowell now splits her time between homes in West Chester, Pennsylvania and Holualoa on the Big Island, and has taken up riding horses where she rides at Horseplay Equestrian Center in Kainaliu. Her husband is Dr. Richard McDowell, an emergency medicine physician at Kona Community Hospital.
According to their website, the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame serves to recognize, honor and commemorate those individuals and groups who have demonstrated excellence in every aspect of multisport — thereby inspiring others to elevate their own performance, participation and community involvement.
Founded in 2008, it has recognized the best performances and contributions in the sport’s nearly 50-year history. This year’s class brings the total number of inductees to 47.
The USA Hall of Fame ceremony will be a banquet hosted by the USAT Foundation on Thursday, Aug. 4, in conjunction with the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championship race that weekend in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
