World Triathlon welcomed four new members to its Hall of Fame in Pontevedra, where the sport's community gathered for the Gala Dinner during the World Triathlon Championship Finals. Beth Hall and Belinda Granger hosted the evening. It honoured a five-time world champion, a Canadian pioneer, the first woman to lead the organisation, and a volunteer whose work has shaped the sport for more than three decades.
Javier Gómez Noya, Men's Award
No city could have been more fitting for Javier Gómez Noya's induction than the one he calls home. The Mayor of Pontevedra, Miguel Anxo Fernández Lores, presented him with the award. Gómez moved to Pontevedra from Basel as a baby and discovered triathlon there at the age of 15.
Gómez won his first elite world title in Vancouver in 2008 and added a second in 2010. From 2013 to 2015 he won three more, in London, Edmonton and Chicago. That fifth title made him the first man in ITU history to win five elite World Championships. He took Olympic silver at London 2012, just 11 seconds behind Alistair Brownlee. He also won the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in 2017. In 2019 he won the Long Distance World Championship in front of his home crowd in Pontevedra. Winning at every distance, and staying at the top for more than two decades, places him among the greatest athletes the sport has produced.
JoAnne Ritchie, Women's Award
World Triathlon Executive Board member Leslie Buchanan presented the Women's Award to JoAnne Ritchie, a pioneer of both Canadian and women's triathlon. Ritchie, from Kelowna, British Columbia, won the 1991 World Championship on Australia's Gold Coast, finishing ahead of Terri Smith and Michellie Jones. More than three decades later, she remains Canada's only female Elite World Champion.
That title began a remarkable run. She took World Championship silver on home soil in Muskoka in 1992 and bronze in Manchester in 1993. She also won the overall 1993 World Cup title and two Canadian championships. After her racing career, she kept giving back to sport as a multisport coach and volunteer. In 2000 she became the first inductee into the Triathlon Canada Hall of Fame.
Marisol Casado, Lifetime Achievement
World Triathlon President Antonio Fernández Arimany, joined on stage by Bill Walker, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Marisol Casado. Her story is closely tied to the story of triathlon itself. In 1983 she won the first triathlon held in Spain. Six years later she became a founding member of the Spanish Triathlon Federation. She went on to serve as its Secretary General, as ITU Treasurer and Executive Board member, and as President of the European Triathlon Union.
In 2008 she made history as the first woman elected President of ITU. Over 16 years in the role, she saw the organisation grow to 172 National Federations. She strengthened triathlon's place in the Olympic and Paralympic movements and championed gender balance, inclusion and sustainability. As an IOC Member from 2010 to 2025, she helped Triathlon to stay relevant in the Olympic and Paralympic stages, increasing the number of medals of the sport. Today she is World Triathlon Honorary President and an IOC Honorary Member.
Brian Hinton, Michel Gignoux Award
World Triathlon Sport Director Gergely Markus presented the Michel Gignoux Award to Brian Hinton in recognition of 33 years of service. Hinton joined ITU as Congress Secretary at the 1991 World Championships. He served on the Executive Board from 1992 to 2004, helping to shape the young organisation, and then spent three decades on the Duathlon/Multisport Committee.
Along the way he helped pioneer live race coverage and supported the first para classifications. He also worked on the build-up to triathlon's Olympic debut at Sydney 2000. He brokered an end to the long standoff between ITU and Powerman. With Antonio Fernández Arimany and Gergely Markus, he championed the creation of the Multisport World Championships, which debuted in Penticton in 2017. Fields grew from under 800 athletes to 3,500.
A night of celebration
The Class of 2026 reflects everything the Hall of Fame stands for. It honours champions who raised the standard of performance, and the leaders and volunteers who built the sport those champions race in. World Triathlon congratulates all four inductees and thanks the City of Pontevedra for hosting a memorable evening.
