Olympian Deena Kastor named guest speaker for 2024 Bermuda Triangle Challenge

Olympic medal-winner Deena Kastor will be the honorary guest speaker at the 2024 Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge.

Kastor won a bronze medal in the marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and also won the 2005 Chicago Marathon and the 2006 London Marathon, in which she set an American record of 2hr 19min 36sec that stood unbroken until last year. She was also a four-times Southeastern Conference champion and an eight-times All-American.

Also a previous US record-holder in the women’s half-marathon, 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters, Kastor still competes at a high level and is holds the US women’s masters marathon record of 2:27:47, which she achieved at the 2015 Chicago Marathon.

She also picked up the 2003 Jesse Owens Award as the top female track and field athlete in the US, the USATF Runner of the Year prize in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2008, as well as the CC Jackson award in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Kastor, 50, has also authored a New York Times bestselling book, Let Your Mind Run, in which she documents her journey to becoming a world-class Olympic runner, and is thrilled to be heading to the island.

“I am excited to have been selected as the ambassador and guest speaker for the 2024 Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge,” she said.

“I look forward to my first visit to the island, running the roads of Bermuda and meeting the event’s enthusiastic participants, spectators, sponsors and volunteers of Bermuda. I can’t think of a better way or a better place to spend a three-day weekend.”

Hazel Clark, Global Director of Sales and Business Development at the Bermuda Tourism Authority, and herself a three-times US Olympian, is pleased that her former team-mate is heading to Bermuda.

“It is with great pleasure that I welcome my Olympic team-mate Deena Kastor to Bermuda and to the 2024 Chubb Triangle Challenge,” Clark said.

“Allowing all of Bermuda the opportunity to meet and interact with another world-class athlete is what the Bermuda Tourism Authority has been working to develop and leverage through our Sports Tourism strategy, as part of the National Tourism Plan.

“During my track career, Deena was well known in the US track and field world as the foremost long-distance female runner in the early 2000s. Her drive and accomplishments inspired each of us to work harder and strive towards the continuous pursuit of our own personal goals.”

Samantha Froud, Chubb’s chief administration officer, Bermuda Operations, said: “Chubb is excited to welcome an athlete of such amazing talent and accomplishments of Deena Kastor to the 2024 Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge. As the title sponsor, we are pleased not only to host an Olympic athlete of this calibre at this international event but enable all the participants to meet and engage with Deena.

Next year’s Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge will begin on January 12, with the Butterfield Mile and continues on January 13 with the BF&M 10K Run/Walk. The event concludes on January 14 with the PwC Bermuda Marathon, Bermuda Half-Marathon and Bermuda Half-Marathon Relay.

posted Wednesday May 31st
by Ross Clarke