USMES triathlete stops race to save a life, receives USAT Doug Clark Sportsmanship Award
USMES Boulder, CO – June 14, 2019 – Davis Frease’s stellar 2018 triathlon season included an overall win at IRONMAN 70.3 SUPERFROG and a second place finish at the Armed Forces Triathlon Championship. However, the USMES Elite Team member, active-duty Navy Lieutenant and first year medical resident received the most attention not for his results but for saving the life of a fellow athlete at high-elevation Big Bear Triathlon, and then finishing the race and coming in second overall.
As reported by NBC, Slowtwitch.com, and the local Big Bear Grizzly, Frease stopped his own race to administer repeated rounds of CPR to a 5k runner (running a concurrent race) whose heart had stopped during the event.
After paramedics arrived, Frease decided to complete his race, eventually finishing second overall. “More than anything I’m just grateful I was in the right place at the right time,” Frease told Slowtwitch’s Herbert Krabel. “The American Heart Association isn’t lying when they say CPR saves lives!”
The next day Frease raced the 2018 San Diego International Triathlon, where he was the first amateur, second overall, and didn’t have to administer CPR to anyone.
Now USA Triathlon is honoring Frease with the 2018 Doug Clark Sportsmanship Award. The award is a tribute to Doug Clark, a decorated triathlete and multi-time masters national champion who inspired others through his high standards of ethical behavior on and off the field of competition.
“USA Triathlon is proud to recognize Lt. Davis Frease as the recipient of the Doug Clark Sportsmanship Award,” said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO. “Lt. Frease acted immediately, selflessly and without hesitation when he saw a fellow athlete in need. He deployed his medical training to save a life, remaining calm under an immense amount of pressure. It is an honor to call him a member of our multisport community.”
“We’re thrilled to have a second USMES athlete win a national award from USAT,” said USMES Executive Director Mandy Midgett. (USMES triathlete and Army Captain Kelly Elmlinger was named Paratriathlon Development Athlete of the Year this March.) “While we recognize Frease’s athletic, academic and professional achievement, we are most proud of his attitude of service. Putting others before self is a core value of the military, the USMES team, and all our members.”
About US Military Endurance Sports
US Military Endurance Sports (USMES), a division of American Servicemembers Amateur Sports (ASAS) Inc, is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization chartered to support amateur athletes, endurance sports education and activities for current, retired, and Veteran members of the United States Armed Forces. The mission of USMES is to promote endurance sports as part of a healthy lifestyle to active and Veteran members of America’s Uniformed Services. usmes.org
The US Military Endurance Sports (USMES) program, a division of American Servicemembers Amateur Sports Inc. (ASAS), is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization chartered to support amateur athletes, endurance sports education and activities for current, retired, and veteran members of the United States Armed Forces.
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