Multiple age group triathlon world champion killed while cycling

Seven-time age group ITU world triathlon champion Karen McKeachie has been killed in a road traffic collision with a motor vehicle while cycling near her home in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

News of her death at the age of 63 was broken by cycling and triathlon journalist Tom Demerly on his personal website on Saturday that cited a Facebook post by one of McKeachie’s relatives.

Inducted to the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame in 2014, as recently as five years ago McKeachie was winning triathlons against women more than half her age.

In 1999, at the age of 46, she was named USA Triathlon Athlete of the Year – the oldest person to be given that accolade. She also completed the Kona Ironman nine times.

An engineer by profession, her sporting career had begun as a track and field athlete and later coach at the University of Michigan.

Huron Valley Ambulance confirmed that McKeachie died at the scene of the collision on Friday evening. She is survived by her husband, Lew Kidder.

Besides her own triathlon career, McKeachie had also coached people in the sport for three and a half decades as well as organising races through their business, WildSide Events.