Chris Hammer

Chris Hammer comes to the Podium Coaching Group with experience as both a professional athlete and as a coach. As an athlete, Hammer has represented the United States in international competition for the past 12 years. He is a 3x Paralympian as well as a World Champion, and has finished on the podium at international triathlon races over 30 times. Hammer is currently training to qualify for his fourth Paralympic Games (Paris 2024). He is also the first and only US para-triathlete to have earned a regular USA Triathlon Elite license, which he uses to compete in the professional fields of long course racing.

Prior to pursuing triathlon, Hammer was a 5x All-American cross-country/track athlete at Grand Valley State University. He now lives in Arizona where he trains with USA Triathlon’s Project Podium. Prior to moving to Arizona, Hammer was the Head Triathlon Coach at Davis & Elkins College (Elkins, WV). During his tenure there, Hammer coached an athlete to an NCAA Division II Individual National Championship, a team to a National Championship 2nd place finish, and was voted by his fellow coaches as the NCAA DII Coach of the Year. Hammer has also coached several elite marathoners to U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying marks as well as marathon victories.

Hammer has a Ph.D. in Sport Psychology, an M.S. in Sport Administration, and an M.B.A.