Best known for his work in athlete representation, Patrick Lemieux’s management career began organically. As the husband of 2016 Olympic champion Gwen Jorgensen, he became deeply involved in managing her career – experience that later led other athletes to seek out his guidance. Today, Lemieux represents some of triathlon’s most recognizable names, including Taylor Knibb, Lionel Sanders, Magnus Ditlev, and Kat Matthews, alongside a roster of professional cyclists. A retired professional cyclist himself, he brings an athlete’s perspective to every negotiation and decision.
Yet representation is only one facet of Lemieux’s influence within the sport. Beyond managing elite careers, he has become an active contributor to triathlon’s broader ecosystem, supporting youth development through scholarship initiatives and investing time and resources into media and advocacy work aimed at improving conditions for professional athletes through Pro Tri News.
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Athlete Management
“If you ask me what I’m most passionate about, it’s being an agent,” Lemieux shared. “It’s supporting my athletes on the business side so they can focus fully on what their job should be: training to be the best in the world.”
When asked what athlete management actually includes, Lemieux describes it as optimizing athletes’ business and financial opportunities while removing the cognitive and time burden required to manage those responsibilities independently. At its core, the role is about creating structure around contracts, sponsorships, appearances, and more, allowing athletes to direct their energy toward performance rather than logistics.
“These are also the best athletes in the world,” he added. “Their skillset tends to sit within the sport itself.” As a result, an effective agent becomes both advocate and filter, negotiating on the athlete’s behalf, securing fair and sustainable agreements, and ensuring opportunities align with performance goals rather than detract from them.
We asked Lemieux whether he could share insights into the earnings breakdown of top athletes. While unable to speak to specific details, he pointed to the significance of winning the Ironman World Championship as an illustrative example. While the male and female winners each receive $175,000 USD in prize money, Lemieux noted that the total value of a Kona victory can realistically reach between $500,000 and $1 million USD once sponsorships, bonuses, and commercial opportunities are factored in – value that is optimized only if it is properly negotiated and managed.
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Lemieux’s Broader Involvement in Triathlon
Beyond his role as an athlete manager, Patrick Lemieux is visible across multiple corners of the triathlon world – driven, as he puts it, by a desire to “make the sport better.”
He speaks openly about his belief in triathlon’s long-term growth potential, noting that he sees a future where the sport could approach professional cycling. “Triathlon is already ahead of running,” he said, referring to earning potential for elite athletes.
Lemieux also credits recent structural changes for accelerating that progress. “We owe T100 for raising the bar, which Ironman then followed with the creation of the Pro Series,” he said, describing how the launch of these two major series in 2024 elevated standards and opportunities for professional athletes. He is keen to help sustain that momentum – not only through representation, but by contributing to the sport’s broader development.
That contribution extends into advocacy work. Lemieux pointed to his role in helping bring public attention to gaps in anti-doping oversight within the T100 series – specifically, the absence of a formal testing pool at the time. By raising awareness and applying public pressure, those efforts contributed to the eventual creation of a T100 testing pool in support of fair and clean racing. He also highlighted the role of Pro Tri News (alongside Talbot Cox, Kyle Glass, and Mark Matthews) in pushing for the adoption of a 20m drafting rule.
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“We’re not imposing our opinion of what we think is better,” he explained. “Athletes pretty much across the board who have spoken to us about [drafting distance] want to see this change.” For Lemieux, that distinction matters. His advocacy, he emphasized, is rooted in amplifying athlete voices and aligning reform efforts with what professionals themselves are asking for.
Giving Back By Supporting Youth Development
His commitment to improving the sport also extends to access and opportunity at the grassroots level. In 2025, the Gwen Jorgensen Scholarship was re-launched by Lemieux and his wife in partnership with USAT with the goal of supporting economically disadvantaged youth looking to enter the sport.
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“Our goal is really to grow opportunity and to give back,” Lemieux shared. For him, expanding access is not just about participation numbers, but about building a more diverse and sustainable pipeline for future talent, particularly in a sport where cost can remain a significant barrier to entry.
Importantly, that support has also extended into para triathlon. One para triathlete received funding through the scholarship initiative, underscoring a broader commitment to inclusion and adaptive sport pathways.
Taken together, Lemieux’s work reflects a long-term view of triathlon that extends well beyond podiums and prize purses. Whether managing athletes, advocating for fairer professional standards, strengthening clean sport protocols, or widening access for the next generation, his focus remains consistent: building a sport that better supports its athletes, both today and in the years to come.
The post An Interview With Patrick Lemieux: Top Athlete Agent and Advocate for Triathlon appeared first on Triathlon Magazine Canada.