(2015 ☆ ARCHIVED) Sage Donnelly - USA

SAGE DONNELLY (USA) - Nominee for the 2015 'Sports Junior of the Year' award.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SageDonnelly, Twitter: @sagekayak

• Born: 2000, Sports: freestyle, canoe slalom (C1, K1), downriver, extreme, SUP, Represents: the USA
• 2015: 1st in Kayak Freestyle World Championships, 6th at the Pan-American Games in the kayak slalom
• 2014: 1st in Junior K1W & C1W slalom (national), 1st in Open C1W and 3rd in Open K1W slalom at US Team Trials, Junior women’s National Freestyle Champion, 2nd GoPro Mountain Games Extreme Creek Race
• 2013: US Junior Freestyle Champion, 1st GoPro Mountain Games Pro women’s freestyle, US Junior K1W and C1W slalom age group Champion.

Sage Donnelly is not your average 15-year-old. Hailing from Cason City, Nevada, she is a rising star of the paddlesports world, with various achievements across several disciplines. Her latest feat saw her become the 2015 Junior World Kayak Freestyle Champion, something she has dreamt of since she started competing when she was 7.

Whilst winning this title is nothing short of amazing, it’s the tricks she landed on the way to this championship that has cemented her name in history. Donnelly was the only woman — junior or senior — to nail a ‘blunt nasty’, with only five men perfecting this manoeuvre.  

A blunt nasty is basically a front flip in the water with a cartwheel, a combination of a McNasty and a Blunt. Sage was dominant throughout the whole championship throwing down various tricks including blunts, backblunts, helix, felix and back panams. At just 15 years old this was the first year she was eligible to compete at the World Championships. Her final score of 588.33 points was 385 points clear of second place and 100 points more than the senior women’s winner.

On top of this feat Donnelly has had numerous impressive results throughout the 2015 season. She is the top Junior American Woman in Canoe Slalom and placed 12th at the Junior World Canoe Slalom Championships in Brazil. At the same event she placed 29th in the Kayak Slalom.

At the 2015 Pan-American Games in Toronto, Canada Donnelly represented the United States of America in the senior category where she placed sixth in the Kayak Slalom. A massive achievement for someone so young.

Sage’s determination, dedication and skill is well beyond her years. But she is not only an amazing athlete for these traits, she also suffers from additional health challenges which make her achievements even more impressive. She has Type 1 diabetes, celiac disease and thyroid disease, but it doesn’t let all that stop her.

Sage’s love for paddlesports and never say die attitude has inspired many people. She conducts clinics, workshops and school assemblies about the importance of being active, determined and healthy. She is willing to encourage other young people to be active and athletic whether it is in kayaking or other activities. Sage also goes to local hospitals to talk to newly diagnosed diabetics about being an athlete and adjusting to living with diabetes. She is a great ambassador.

Let us remind you again - she is only 15-years-old!

Sage Donnelly has been nominated for 'Sports Junior of the Year' because of her remarkable results, enthusiasm towards paddlesports and contributions to the community.

This is a 2015 archived nominee. Voting has closed.