It is the second year running that McDowell, who picked up silver in Singapore and also bronze at the ITU Junior World Championship in Budapest, has won the award.

Whitley also reached the podium at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games by earning bronze in the individual race and joined McDowell on the bronze-winning squad in the team relay event.

She was placed fourth at the ITU Junior World Championship.

Both athletes finished the year at number one in the USA Triathlon Junior Elite rankings.

"This was USA Triathlon's most successful year of junior performances by far," said USA Triathlon sport performance manager Andy Schmitz.

"The four medals earned between the Youth Olympic Games and ITU World Championship is a testament to how far the bar has been raised in our junior programmes.

"Even more exciting is the fact that the team is young.

"All six of our world championship team members remain at the junior level in 2011, as do a large majority of the athletes who finished top 10 at the USA Triathlon Junior Elite National Championship last August."

Kate Buss and Ryan Peterson were selected by the USA Triathlon duathlon committee as the Junior Duathletes of the Year on the strength of their victories in the junior 16-19 age group at the 2010 National Duathlon Festival.

Ryan Steinbach, who was fourth in the 18-19 age group at the 2010 ITU Duathlon World Championship, and Ashley Heinlein, who won the 18-19 age group national title, earned honourable mentions.

McDowell and Whitley also headline USA Triathlon's list of Junior Elite and Youth Elite All-Americans.

This honour goes to the top up-and-coming triathletes in the United States and is based on their final national ranking and performances in top junior and youth draft-legal events.