Meredith Brooke Kessler (born June 28, 1978) is an American professional triathlete from Columbus, Ohio, who races in long distance, non-drafting triathlon events. She took third place at the 2011 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships and has won numerous Ironman and half-Ironman distance races as both an amateur and a professional. She was named USA Triathlon's 2014 Non-Drafting Athlete of the Year.
Early life Kessler was born Meredith Keeran to parents Keith and Debbie and raised in Columbus, OH.
Career Growing up, she was a four-sport athlete playing field hockey, swimming, track, lacrosse and attending Columbus Academy. In 1996, after high school, she attended Syracuse University on a Division I athletic scholarship where she participated in field hockey and track. She graduated in 2000 with a degree in nutrition and hospitality management taking a job as a manager at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in Half Moon Bay, California. It was also at this time she purchased a triathlon bike with her graduation money and jumped into Ironman racing. She later took a job in investment banking with RBC Capital Markets working 60 hours per week while still training 15 to 18 hours per week.
As an amateur, Kessler averaged four Ironman races a year on a loosely put together training schedule. In order to seek more structure with her training she sought out Matt Dixon as her coach in 2007. In 2009, she made the switch to become a professional triathlete, quitting her job at RBC. In her first race as a pro, she placed 7th at Ironman Arizona. She would have three Ironman podium finishes in her first year as a pro, including a win at Ironman Canada 2010. The following year in 2011, Kessler dealt with hyponatremia and hypernatremia nutritional issues at her first two big races of the race season at Ironman St. George and Ironman Coeur d’Alene. However, she rebounded to take first place at Rev3 Portland, then took a third place podium spot at the ITU Long Distance World Championships in Henderson, NV, before rounding out the year with her fastest Ironman time ever, almost breaking the nine-hour barrier at Ironman Arizona.
As a professional, Kessler has since recorded over a dozen first-place finishes in long distance triathlon, including five consecutive wins at Ironman New Zealand, three consecutive Ironman Arizona wins, and three consecutive at Ironman 70.3 St. George.
Following her 9th Ironman race win at Ironman Arizona in November 2015, Kessler and coach Matt Dixon mutually parted ways while Dixon expressing admiration and respect for her.
Notable results Kessler's race results include: Results list Year Event Place2019Challenge Wanaka2nd2019Ironman New Zealand3rd2019Ironman 70.3 Texas5th2019St. Anthony’s Triathlon4th2019Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant3rd2019Ironman 70.3 Steelhead2nd2019Ironman 70.3 Santa Rosa8th2019Ironman 70.3 Boulder3rd2018Ironman Texas6th2018Ironman 70.3 St. George5th2018Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga2nd2018Ironman 70.3 Raleigh1st2018Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant1st2018Ironman Mont-Tremblant3rd2018Ironman World ChampionshipDNF2018Ironman Arizona6th2018Challenge Daytona3rd2017Ironman New Zealand3rd2016Ironman 70.3 Taupo1st2016Ironman Arizona1st2016Ironman 70.3 World Championship35th2016Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant4th2016Ironman 70.3 St. George3rd2016Ironman 70.3 Raleigh2nd2016Ironman New Zealand1st2015Ironman Arizona1st2015Ironman 70.3 St. George2nd2015Ironman 70.3 Raleigh1st2015Challenge Williamsburg1st2015Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant1st2015Ironman 70.3 Vineman1st2015Ironman 70.3 World ChampionshipDNF2015Ironman World Championship26th2015Ironman New Zealand1st2014Ironman Arizona1st2014Ironman World ChampionshipDNF2014Ironman 70.3 World Championship4th2014Challenge New Albany1st2014Ironman 70.3 Vineman1st2014Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant1st2014Ironman 70.3 St. George1st2014Ironman 70.3 Oceanside3rd2014Ironman New Zealand1st2013Ironman 70.3 Auckland3rd2013Ironman New Zealand1st2013Ironman Melbourne12th2013Ironman 70.3 St. George1st2013Columbia 51502nd2013Rev 3 Quassy4th2013Ironman 70.3 Vineman1st2013Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens1st2013Hy-Vee Triathlon7th2013Ironman World Championship7th2013Rev 3 Florida Half1st2013Ironman Arizona2nd2012Ironman New Zealand1st2012Ironman 70.3 Oceanside3rd2012Ironman St. George1st2012Ironman 70.3 Eagleman1st2012Ironman Coeur d’Alene1st2012Rev 3 Portland2nd2012Ironman 70.3 Vineman1st2012Ironman 70.3 World Championship23rd2012Ironman Florida4th2012Ironman Arizona2nd2011Ironman Arizona3rd2011ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships3rd2011Rev 3 Anderson3rd2011Ironman Wisconsin2nd2011Ironman Canada3rd2011Ironman 70.3 Vineman4th2011Rev 3 Portland1st2011Ironman 70.3 Texas8th2010Ironman Arizona4th2010Ironman World Championship26th2010Ironman Canada1st2010Ironman 70.3 Vineman7th2010Ironman Coeur d’Alene2nd2010The Giant Race 20103rd2010Ironman St. George2nd2010Ironman 70.3 New Orleans4th2009Ironman Arizona7th DNF = did not finish
Personal life Kessler married husband Aaron in 2008. They were high school sweethearts and he was taught by her mother in first grade.
In March 2013, Kessler was driving her automobile and hit a pedestrian. She, "briefly stopped and checked on the victim... Then returned to her vehicle and drove off." In August 2013, she was charged with felony hit-and-run. The charges were later reduced to misdemeanor hit-and-run with Kessler entering an open plea agreement, admitting to hitting the plaintiff and leaving the scene of the accident. The sentence included three years of probation and restitution. Kessler and the pedestrian also settled in the civil court in March 2015; according to the pedestrian's attorney, the final settlement was $300,000.
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