Athletes of the Year

 2007  Marine Athletes of the Year Announced

HQMC MR, QUANTICO, VIRGINIA -- Second Lieutenant Justine Whipple and Gunnery Sergeant Kenneth Young have been selected as the U.S. Marine Corps Female and Male Athletes of the Year for 2007. The pair will be honored at the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon Ceremony at the Clubs at Quantico in Quantico, Va., on July 18, 2008, at 11 a.m.

Whipple, a native of Duxbury, MA and graduate of the U.S. Naval academy is currently assigned to the U.S. Olympic Training Center. During 2007, Whipple captured women's first place honors at the Lone Star Triathlon in Galveston, TX and won her consecutive Collegiate National Championship as a midshipman. Upon receiving her commission, Whipple dominated the women's division at the Armed Forces Triathlon Championship at Point Mugu, CA and earned the under-23 National Title at the International Triathlon Union (ITU), Longmount Triathlon, in Colorado with a time of 2:08:14. Whipple's Armed Forces Triathlon Championship finish qualified her to compete at the Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM) Military World Games in Hyderabad, India where she won the silver medal. Whipple's other accomplishments include a 14th place finish at the U23 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany; 10th place finish at the Los Angelos Triathlon; and a fifth place finish at the Treasure Island ITU Continental Cup

Young, a Watch Team Chief at the Marine Corps Operations Center, at Headquarters Marine Corps, Arlington Virginia, had over 20 top ten cycling finishes in 2007. Young's accomplishments include the Virginia Criterium Master's State Champion; Virginia State Points Race champion (Elite Track); Grand Prix of Silver Spring Champion; second place finish at the Mid Atlantic Road Race Championship (30+); second place finish at the Church Creel Time Trial (Pro/1/2); third place finish at the Chantilly Criterium (Pro/1/2); second place finish at the Mid-Atlantic Elite Level Best All Around Rider Competition; fourth place finish in the U.S. National Master's Criterium Race; and was named as the 2007 Cadence Cycling and Multisports Cyclist of the Year. Young was selected to the 2007/2008 Armed Forces Cycling team during the fall of 2007 and continues to contribute to the team's success. :

For more information about the Athlete's of the Year program or the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame, please contact Steven Dinote, HQMC Semper Fit, 703-784- 9542, or email: steven.dinote@usmc.mil. www.usmc-mccs.org/sports.