Coast Guard recognizes LT Nikole Barnes

The U.S. Coast Guard has recognized Tokyo 2020 Olympian LT Nikole Barnes as its 2021 Coast Guard Elite Female Athlete of the Year.

Stationed at District Seven in Miami, FL, Barnes made history as the first Coast Guardsman to represent the United States at the Olympics. Leading up to the Olympic competition, Barnes and her crew Lara Dallman-Weiss finished 7th at the 470 World Championship Regatta in Vilamoura, Portugal, which qualified the Two Person Dinghy – 470 Sailing team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

From July to August 2021, Barnes represented Team USA in 10 Olympic races against 20 other national teams finishing 12th place overall. When not training, Barnes improved international relations by organizing numerous beach clean-ups in Lanzarote, Spain; Santander, Spain; Vilamoura, Portugal; and at the Olympic Venue in Enoshima, Japan.

The Coast Guard’s Elite Male Athlete of the Year is LT Ian King, stationed at C5I Service Center, Kearneysville, WV. King distinguished himself in the sport of triathlon. – Full report