McKenna McKee
McKenna McKee T1D American Champion Track Cyclist
McKenna McKee is an American champion track cyclist. She was born in 2003, in Vancouver, WA. At age 6, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.[1] [2] [3] She is a 13-time USA Cycling national champion[4], and medaled in every championship (cyclocross and track) she has entered, except one. McKenna made her first USA National Track Cycling Team in 2021, at age 17.[5] In 2023[6], she was the youngest elite women’s track racer, at age 20, to win the national championship in the Sprints. McKenna has won the national Sprint title two years in a row (2023-2024). In 2024, she went undefeated through every sprint round; she also won her first elite women’s Keirin championship that same year.[7]
From 2020-2024, McKenna was also a member of Team Novo Nordisk[8], a Danish pharmaceutical company that makes products for the treatment of diabetes. The team members are all world-class competitive cyclists living with type 1 diabetes.
Near the end of 2024, McKenna began racing with Tesseract Racing (a UCI licensed, Cycling Canada trade team)[9], which allows her to do more racing internationally, while still earning UCI points for the USA track cycling team.
In early 2025, McKenna was selected by the USA Cycling Track Team to represent the USA at the Pan American Track Cycling Championships, in Asuncion, Paraguay, April 2-6.[10] She won the gold in the Women’s Team Sprint.
Now entering her fourth straight year for a bid on the national team, McKenna’s singular goal is to be a member of the USA Olympic Cycling Team in 2028, in Los Angeles, CA.[11]
Overall Highlights
- 2015-2018 -- McKenna competes at Cyclocross Jr Natls, and Track Jr Women’s Natls (Natl champion Jr women 13-14, 2017)[12]
- 2020-2024 -- races with Team Novo Nordisk – cyclists with Type1 diabetes -- competes in UCI Nations Cup track racing internationally
- 2022- present -- Selected for USA Cycling Women’s Track Team
- 3-time Natl Women’s Sprint Champion (youngest ever) 2022-2024; Natl Women’s Keirin Champion; trained/raced internationally, including Women’s 4K team pursuit; Gold, Team Sprint, Pan American Track Cycling Championships, April 2-6, 2025, Asuncion, Paraguay.[13]
- 2024 – present -- Joined Tesseract Racing (Cycling Canada trade team)[9]
- UCI C2 races in 9/24: Lyons – Gold in Sprints, Bronze in Keirin; Barcelona – 5th in Keirin[14]
- Jan 7-8, 2025, Bromont Velodrome (Montreal) UCI C2 track event – Women’s Keirin – Silver[15], Women’s Sprint – Silver[16]
- June 7-27, 2025 – Valley Preferred Cycling Center (aka T-Town Velodrome, Breinigsville, PA). June 7, Jim Young Super Tuesdays, Men 1-2-3 Keirin Finals, 6th[17]; June 20, Friday Nights Under the Lights -- UCI C2 Elite Women Keirin, Tesseract Racing, Gold[18]; June 27, Friday Nights Under the Lights – UCI C2 Elite Women Sprint Finals, Tesseract Racing, Silver[19]
- July 9-23, 2025 – LA Velo Sports Center, Summer Slam. UCI C2 Elite, July 9, Elite Women Keirin Final, Tesseract Racing, Silver[20]; July 12, Elite Women Match Sprints, Tesseract Racing, reached ¼ finals[21]; July 16 Elite Women Keirin Minor Final, Tesseract Racing, first – 7th overall[22]; July 19 Elite Women Match Sprints, Tesseract Racing, reached ¼ finals[23]; July 23, Elite Women Keirin Final, Tesseract Racing, Gold[24]
Biography
Very early on, at age 2, McKenna showed a strong interest in riding bikes, even before she was walking. Her cycling parents encouraged her interest, and by age four, she was completely self-sufficient in riding on her own, and also riding as stoker on her parents’ tandem. On September 28, 2010, at age 6, McKenna was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.[25]
In spite of the challenges facing her[26], McKenna was determined to continue her cycling and entered her first cyclocross bike race at age 7, in 2011. She also soon thereafter discovered the now defunct Alpenrose Velodrome[27], in Portland, OR. Many local track racers took notice of her talent, and became impressed with her very real determination to race on a fixed gear bike around the 42-degree banks. She was very successful, and went on to race over the next 12 years in many racing disciplines, including cyclocross, and some collegiate criteriums. At age 15, McKenna was selected to attend the Team Novo Nordisk[8] talent ID camp, where she spent 5 days doing road training and made an impression on the team coaching staff. In 2020, she officially joined this racing team of T1D athletes. Finally settling on track racing at national and world-class levels, she has been riding and racing ever since.
In addition to her time training and racing, and advocating for T1D children and their families[28], McKenna is pursuing her education and her future career goal of becoming a pediatric nurse. She is currently enrolled in nursing studies at Lower Columbia College.[29]
Managing Type 1 Diabetes and Olympic Aspirations
In many cases, Type 1 diabetes is now considered to be a manageable disease.[30] And yet, at the elite level of world-class and Olympic competition, the daily effort, planning, well-being and life-balance are challenging and greatly tested. A recent research study found that people with diabetes make up to 180 more decisions every day about their health than people who do not live with diabetes.[31]
Performing at an elite, world-class or Olympic level requires intense effort, time commitment, mental focus, and grit. For elite athletes with diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2), these factors may contribute to a lower percentage of participation at elite, international, and Olympic levels. Recent research studies, that include participation rates, suggest these levels may range from approximately 0.55% to 0.73% for Type 1, and 4% to 8.6% for Type 2.[32] [33] [34]
A recent internet search of current or past Olympians, or world champions, from winter and summer sports, produced these results:
- Gary Hall, Jr (USA Swimming)[35]
- Lauren Cox (USA Basketball)[36]
- Kris Freeman (USA Cross Country Skiing)[37]
- Kristina Tomić (Croatia Taekwondo)[38]
- Ivan Marcelić (Croatia Water Polo)[38]
- Charlotte Drury (USA Gymnast)[39]
- Noortje de Brouwer (Netherlands Synchronized Swimming)[40]
To give some perspective, the 2024 Paris Olympic Summer Games held 339 events, with 10,714 competitors from 206 nations.[1] A hypothetical one percent rate of competitors with T1D would equal 107 athletes. 2024 Paris athletes with T1D mentioned in the media were trampoline gymnast Charlotte Drury, and artistic swimmer Noortje de Brouwer.
The most recent 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing, China, included 2,834 athletes from 91 nations.[2] It is highly probable that multiple athletes with T1D participated in the 2022 Winter Olympics. At a hypothesized occurrence of T1D athletes of 1 percent, there may have possibly been 28 athletes during Olympic competition.
Selected Racing History Results for McKenna McKee
| DATE | DISCIPLINE | EVENT | RESULTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015
Nov 21 |
Cyclocross | Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) Cyclocross Championships, Sandy, OR | Gold Jr Women 10-12[41] |
| 2015
Jan 10 |
Cyclocross | USAC Cyclocross National Championships, Austin, TX | 5th Jr Women 10-12[42] |
| 2016
Jan 9 |
Cyclocross | USAC Cyclocross National Championships, Ashville, NC | 17th Jr Women 10-12[43] |
| 2017
July 1 |
Track | Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) Track Championships Alpenrose Velodrome, Portland, OR | Gold Jr Women 13-14 Omnium[44] |
| 2017
July 31-Aug 6 |
Track | USAC Elite and Junior National Track Championships, LA Velo Sports Center, Carson, CA | Gold Women 13-14 Omnium; 4th Jr Women 13-14 500m; 4th Jr Women 13-14 2K Pursuit; 4th Jr Women Points Race[45] |
| 2017
Jan 7 |
Cyclocross | USAC Cyclocross National Championships, Hartford, CT | Bronze Jr Women 13-14[46] |
| 2017
July 28 |
Track | Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) Track Championships, Alpenrose Velodrome, Portland, OR | Gold Jr Women 15-16, 2K Pursuit[47] |
| 2018
Dec 2 |
Cyclocross | Washington State Bicycling Association Cyclocross Championships, Lakewood, WA | Gold Jr Women 15-16[48]; 7th Sr Women |
| 2018
Dec 15 |
Cyclocross | USAC Cyclocross National Championships, Reno, NV | 10th Jr Women 15-16[49] |
| 2018
Jul 7-11 |
Track | USAC Track National Championships Valley Preferred Cycling (T-Town), Breinigsville, PA | Bronze 500m TT Jr Women 15-18[50]
4th women team pursuit[51] |
| 2019
May 17-18 |
Track | 2019 Jr National Track Cup #3, Alkek Velodrome, Houston, TX | 1st keirin JR Women 15-18; 2nd team sprint JR; Women 15-18; 2nd sprint JR Women 15-18[52] |
| 2019
May 27 |
Track | LAVRA Monday Sprint Nights p/b GQ-6
LA Velo Sports Center, Carson, CA |
1st sprints Sr Women[53] |
| 2019
Aug 9 |
Track | Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) Track Championships, Portland, OR | Gold Open Women, Keirin[54] |
| 2019
July 20 |
Track | Vision Grand Prix, Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome, Marymoor Park, Redmond, WA | 1st team sprint Elite Women[55]
3rd keirin Elite Women[56] 5th 500m TT Elite Women[57] 5TH sprint Elite Women[58] |
| 2019
July 2-3 |
Track | USAC Jr & Elite Track National Championships
LA Velo Sports Center, Carson, CA |
Silver sprints Jr Women 15-18; Silver team sprint Jr Women 15-18; Bronze keirin Jr Women 15-18[59] |
| 2021
July 1-7 |
Track | USAC Junior Track National Championships
Valley Preferred Cycling (T-Town) Breinigsville, PA |
Gold team sprint Jr Women 15-18; Silver sprint Jr Women 15-18; Silver keirin Jr Women 15-18[60] |
| 2021
July 15-18 |
Track | USAC Jr, Elite & Para National Track Championships, LA Velo Sports Center, Carson, CA | Gold team sprint Elite Women/U23; Silver sprint Jr 15-18 Women; Silver keirin Jr Women 15-18[61] |
| 2023
July 5-9 |
Track | USAC Jr, Elite, and Para Track National Championships, LA Velo Sports Center, Carson, CA | Gold sprints Elite Women/U23; Gold team sprint Elite Women/U23; Silver 500m TT Elite Women; Silver keirin Elite Women[62] |
| 2024
June 7 |
Track | Friday Nights Under the Lights, Valley Preferred Velo Center (T-Town) Breinigsville, PA | 1st keirin Sr Women[63] |
| 2024
July 11-13 |
Track | USA Cycling Elite & Para-Cycling Track National Championships, LA Velo Sports Center Carson, CA | Gold sprints Elite Women/U23; Gold keirin Elite Women/U23[64]
Silver team sprint Elite Women; Bronze 500m TT Elite Women[65] [66] |
| 2024
July 19 |
Track | Marymoor Grand Prix, Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome, Marymoor Park, Redmond, WA | 1st sprints Elite Women; 6th keirin Elite Women[67] |
| 2024
Sept 6-8 |
Track | UCI C2, Vélodrome Georges Prévéral, Lyons, France | Gold, Elite Women Sprints; Bronze, Elite Women Keirin[68] |
| 2024
Sept 13-15 |
Track | UCI C2 Ciclisme En Pista – XI Memorial Miquel Poblet, Velodrome D’Horta, Barcelona, Spain | 5th Elite Women Keirin Final |
| 2025
Jan 7-8 |
Track | UCI C2 Bromont, Le Centre National de Cyclisme -- Bromont, Montreal, Canada | Silver, Elite Women Keirin Final[69]
Silver, Elite Women[70] |
| 2025
April 2-6 |
Track | Pan American Track Cycling Championships, Asuncion, Paraguay | Gold, Team Sprint; 7th Match Sprints; 5th, Kilo TT[71] |
| 2025
June 7-27 |
Track | Jim Young Super Tuesdays; Friday Nights Under the Lights UCI C2 Elite, Valley Preferred Velo Center (T-Town), Breinigsville, PA | June 7, Jim Young Super Tuesdays: 6th Keirin Final, Men 1-2-3 Keirin Finals[72]
June 20, Friday Nights Under the Lights: Gold UCI C2 Elite Women Keirin[73] June 27, Friday Nights Under the Lights: Silver UCI C2 Elite Women Sprints[74] |
| 2025
Jul 9-23 |
Track | LA Velo Sports Center, Summer Slam UCI C2, Carson, CA | July 9: Silver, Elite Women Keirin Final[20]
July 12: Reached ¼ finals Elite Women Match Sprints[21] July 16: Elite Women Keirin Minor Final, first – 7th overall[22] July 19: Elite Women Match Sprints, reached ¼ finals[23] July 23: Gold, Elite Women Keirin Final[24] |
Race results obtained from these sources: USA Cycling; UCI; Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA); Washington State Bicycling Association (WSBA); Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome Association, Valley Preferred Cycling Center; LA Velo Sports Center Summer Slam 2025; Le Centre National de Cyclisme, Bromont, Canada; RoadResults.com; webscorer; BikeReg.com; Cyclocross24.com; Valley Preferred Cycling (T-Town); Campeonato Panamericano Pista Elite 2025.
References
- ↑ "Vancouver's McKee sets Olympic goals in cycling". The Columbian. 2025-08-08. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ Ferran, Rene (2017-08-24). "McKenna McKee - Diabetes Doesn't Slow Down Junior Cyclist". ClarkCoTalk. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ McKenna Cycling Type 1 Diabetes (2025-07-21). KPTV Video McKenna Story Jan 2022. Retrieved 2025-08-11 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "McKenna McKee". Velodrome. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Smiles All Around as More Riders Earn Titles on Day 4…". USA Cycling. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ West, Cycling (2023-07-05). "USA Cycling Announces Riders for 2023 Track World Championships". Cycling West - Cycling Utah. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "National Champions". USA Cycling. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "All-Diabetes Pro Cycling Team | Type 1 Diabetes | Team Novo Nordisk". 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "TESSERACT RACING". UCI. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "USA Cycling Announces Team for the 2025 Pan American…". USA Cycling. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ Krupke, Nick (2025-01-26). "Cycling champion from Vancouver talks Olympic dreams, life with type 1 diabetes". https://www.kptv.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11. External link in
|website=(help) - ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Campeonato Continental / Continental Championship / Championnat Continental / PISTA/TRACK – ELITE | COPACI". www.copaci.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Coupe de France Piste UCI - Lyon". UCI. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Bromont C2". UCI. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Bromont C2". UCI. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Tuesday, June 10". Google Drive. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Women Keirin 1-6 Final - Official Results". tracktiming.live. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Elite Women Sprint Final - Official Results". tracktiming.live. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Velo Sports Center Summer Slam 2025". lavelodrome.veloresults.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Velo Sports Center Summer Slam 2025". lavelodrome.veloresults.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Velo Sports Center Summer Slam 2025". lavelodrome.veloresults.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Velo Sports Center Summer Slam 2025". lavelodrome.veloresults.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Velo Sports Center Summer Slam 2025". lavelodrome.veloresults.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ CDC (2025-01-09). "Type 1 Diabetes". Diabetes. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ Yurkewicz, Michael; Cordas, Michael; Zellers, Amy; Sweger, Michael (2017). "Diabetes and Sports: Managing Your Athlete With Type 1 Diabetes". American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 11 (1): 58–63. doi:10.1177/1559827615583648. ISSN 1559-8276. PMC 6124849. PMID 30202314.
- ↑ "Will a Family Dispute Alter This City's Cycling Scene Forever?". Bicycling. 2019-10-07. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ McKenna Cycling Type 1 Diabetes (2025-05-29). BreakthroughT1D Community Summit_OR/SW WA_McKenna Keynote Mar 8 2025. Retrieved 2025-08-11 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Nursing Programs". lowercolumbia.edu. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ Yurkewicz, Michael; Cordas, Michael; Zellers, Amy; Sweger, Michael (2017). "Diabetes and Sports: Managing Your Athlete With Type 1 Diabetes". American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 11 (1): 58–63. doi:10.1177/1559827615583648. ISSN 1559-8276. PMC 6124849. PMID 30202314.
- ↑ "Easing the burden for people with diabetes". Diabetes UK. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ Bullard, Kai McKeever (2018). "Prevalence of Diagnosed Diabetes in Adults by Diabetes Type — United States, 2016". MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 67 (12): 359–361. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6712a2. ISSN 0149-2195. PMC 5877361. PMID 29596402.
- ↑ CDC (2024-07-23). "National Diabetes Statistics Report". Diabetes. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ Anderson, Melissa N.; Gallo, Caitlin A.; Passalugo, Scott W.; Nimeh, Jake M.; Edgar, Richard; Yengo-Kahn, Aaron M.; Neitz, Kristen; Terry, Douglas P.; Zuckerman, Scott L.; Broglio, Steven P.; McCrea, Michael; McAllister, Thomas; Pasquina, Paul; Buckley, Thomas A.; CARE Consortium Investigators (2024-03-01). "Collegiate Athletes With Diabetes: Baseline Medical Comorbidities and Preseason Concussion Testing Performance". Journal of Athletic Training. 59 (3): 297–303. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0202.23. ISSN 1938-162X. PMC 10976334 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 37655803 Check|pmid=value (help). - ↑ "Gary Hall Jr. Official Site". www.garyhalljr.com. Archived from the original on 2006-02-18. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Lauren Cox: The First Player with Type 1 Diabetes in the WNBA". Beyond Type 1. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Cross-Country Skier Competing with Type 1 Diabetes at the Winter Olympics". myDario.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 Piemonte, Lorenzo (2021-08-04). "Living the Olympic dream with diabetes". Diabetes Voice. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Type 1 Olympic Athletes Past and Present". www.type1strong.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Paris 2024 | Dutch artistic swimming duet "super strong" despite diabetes diagnosis". World Aquatics. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "OBRA: Results: 2015: OBRA Cyclocross Championships p/b City of Sandy". obra.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "OBRA: Results: 2017: OBRA Junior Track Championships". obra.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "OBRA: Results: 2017: OBRA Junior Track Championships". obra.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "BikeReg - online cycling event registration". BikeReg.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Results for 2018 USA Cycling Juniors Track Nationals - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Results for 2018 USA Cycling Juniors Track Nationals - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ Stausberg, Michael (2004-01-01), "Monday-Nights at the Banaji, Fridays at the Aslaji: Ritual Efficacy and Transformation in Bombay City", Zoroastrian Rituals in Context, BRILL, pp. 653–718, doi:10.1163/9789047412502_029, ISBN 978-90-474-1250-2, retrieved 2025-08-11
- ↑ "OBRA: Results: 2019: State Track Championships". obra.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Results for Vision Grand Prix - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Results for Vision Grand Prix - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Results for Vision Grand Prix - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Results for Vision Grand Prix - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Women Keirin 1-6 Final - Official Results". tracktiming.live. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Boone and McKee Earn Gold in the Keirin on Day Three of…". USA Cycling. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Johnson and Stevenson Earn Gold in the Men's and…". USA Cycling. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "The Official Website - USA Cycling". legacy.usacycling.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Coupe de France Piste UCI - Lyon". UCI. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Bromont C2". UCI. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Bromont C2". UCI. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Campeonato Continental / Continental Championship / Championnat Continental / PISTA/TRACK – ELITE | COPACI". www.copaci.org. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Tuesday, June 10". Google Drive. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Women Keirin 1-6 Final - Official Results". tracktiming.live. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ↑ "Elite Women Sprint Final - Official Results". tracktiming.live. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
External Links
This article "McKenna McKee" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:McKenna McKee. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
