Jamie Whitmore Cardenas (born 4 May 1976) is a former American triathlete turned para-cyclist. Whitmore began her sports career competing in the XTERRA Triathlon throughout the 2000s. As a XTERRA triathlete, she won over thirty events and was the XTERRA world champion in 2004. After being diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma in 2008, Whitmore moved to para-cycling in the 2010s and competed in championships held by the Union Cycliste Internationale.

Jamie Whitmore
Jamie Whitmore, bronze medalist at the 2024 World Championships
Personal information
Full nameJamie Whitmore
Born (1976-05-04) May 4, 1976 (age 48)
Sacramento, California
Height5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Weight112 lb (51 kg)
Team information
RoleRider
Medal record
Para-cycling
Representing  United States
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio Road race C1–3
Silver medal – second place 2016 Rio Individual pursuit C1–3
Road World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Baie-Comeau Time trial C3
Gold medal – first place 2013 Baie-Comeau Road race C3
Gold medal – first place 2014 Greenville Time trial C3
Gold medal – first place 2014 Greenville Road race C3
Gold medal – first place 2015 Nottwil Time trial C3
Gold medal – first place 2015 Nottwil Road race C3
Silver medal – second place 2024 Zurich Time trial C3
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Maniago Time trial C3
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Maniago Road race C3
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Baie-Comeau Time trial C3
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Zurich Road race C3
Track World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 Aguascalientes Time Trial C3
Gold medal – first place 2014 Aguascalientes Pursuit C3
Gold medal – first place 2015 Apeldoorn Time Trial C3
Gold medal – first place 2017 Los Angeles Time Trial C3
Gold medal – first place 2017 Los Angeles Scratch C3
Silver medal – second place 2015 Apeldoorn Pursuit C3
Silver medal – second place 2015 Apeldoorn Scratch C3
Silver medal – second place 2016 Montichiari Scratch C3
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Montichiari Time Trial C3
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Rio de Janeiro Time Trial C3
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Rio de Janeiro Pursuit C3
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Rio de Janeiro Scratch C3

Since 2013, Whitmore has won twenty overall medals while competing at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships and UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships. After breaking the C3 world record in time trial and pursuit at the 2014 para-cycling track championships, Whitmore won gold in the road race and pursuit events at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. Apart from her medals, Whitmore was inducted into the XTERRA Hall of Fame in 2012 and was the winner of the Best Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award in 2014.

Early life and education

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Whitmore was born on 4 May 1976 in Sacramento, California. During her childhood, Whitmore played in various sports before she started track and field in middle school. As an athlete, Whitmore went to California State University, Northridge on a scholarship and completed a criminology degree in 1998.[1]

Career

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Triathlon and road para-cycling

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After university, Whitmore competed in mountain bike races before settling on triathlon in the early 2000s.[2] As a competitor for XTERRA Triathlon, Whitmore was the world champion in 2004 and won over thirty races including consecutive United States championships from 2002 to 2007 excluding 2006.[3][4] In 2008, Whitmore was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma and became paralyzed in her leg due to drop foot. After her paralysis ended her triathlon career, Whitmore returned to cycling in the 2010s.[5]

As a paracyclist, Whitmore began competing in championships held by the Union Cycliste Internationale in 2013. At the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, Whitmore won back to back gold medals at the time trial and road race events from 2013 to 2015. She later won bronze in both events during the 2018 event.[1] During the 2022 edition, Whitmore won bronze in the road race.[6]

Track para-cycling

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Simultaneously, Whitmore started competing at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in 2014. At the 2014 event, Whitmore broke the world records in the time trial and pursuit events for the C3 classification while winning her first track gold medals in those events.[7] The following year, Whitmore reclaimed her gold in time trial while adding a silver in pursuit and scratch race. She added a silver in scratch race and bronze in time trial at the 2016 track championship.[8]

Whitmore added a gold in time trial and scratch in 2017 with additional bronzes in time trial, pursuit and scratch in 2018.[1] In international events, Whitmore competed at her first Paralympics during the 2016 Summer Paralympics. As a C1-3 competitor, she won gold in the road race and silver in the 3000 meters individual pursuit.[9] At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, Whitmore did not any medals in her events.[10]

Awards and honors

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Whitmore was inducted into the XTERRA Hall of Fame in 2012 and won the Best Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award in 2014.[11][12]

Jamie is a single mother of twin boys.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Jamie Whitmore". Team USA. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  2. ^ Kiser, Bill (July 2, 2016). "With A Full Medal Shelf, Jamie Whitmore Now Chases First Paralympic Gold". Team USA. Archived from the original on July 8, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  3. ^ Cameron, Katrina (September 19, 2014). "Paracyclist rode out cancer to become a champion". Sioux City Journal. p. C3.
  4. ^ "Swimming, biking and running test enduarance in XTERRA race". Truckee Times. October 9, 2007. p. 4.
  5. ^ Foster, Chris (September 9, 2016). "A Former Pro Triathlete's Paralympic Redemption". Triathlete. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  6. ^ "2022 UCI Para-cycling World Championships: Final charge from France". Union Cycliste Internationale. August 15, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  7. ^ "PARA-CYCLING WORLD RECORDS" (PDF). Union Cycliste Internationale. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  8. ^ "WHITMORE CARDENAS Jamie Athlete Bio". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved July 4, 2019.[dead link]
  9. ^ Contreras, Victor (September 16, 2016). "Elk Grove para-cyclist Jamie Whitmore wins gold in Rio de Janeiro". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  10. ^ Lieberman, Stuart (September 3, 2021). "U.S. Cyclists Wrap Up Final Day Of Road Cycling At Fuji International Speedway". United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  11. ^ "JAMIE WHITMORE 2012 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE". XTERRA Sports Unlimited. Archived from the original on July 4, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  12. ^ Oshmyansky, Rosalyn. "Who Won?! 2014 ESPY Awards Winners List". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
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